Australian Government approves development plan for Melbourne Airport third runway

Australia's Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King approved (13-Sep-2024) the major development plan for the construction of a third runway at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport. The new runway will allow Melbourne Airport to cater for growing demand, providing better access for freight and passengers and driving economic growth. The government imposed the following conditions on the airport in order for the third runway to proceed:

• Provide a legally enforceable commitment to restore the length of the east-west runway to maximise opportunities for noise sharing;
• Design and implement a noise sharing and airspace plan that prioritises sharing of aircraft noise between affected areas;
• Implement a noise amelioration programme to communities most impacted;
• Conduct a community health study into the impacts of noise before and after the establishment of the third runway, recording baseline data in the lead up to and for the first 20 years of the operation of the third runway;
• Maintain sufficient capacity on the existing east-west runway to support effective noise sharing.

The 3000m runway will be constructed parallel and 1.3km to the west of the existing north-south runway, along with new taxiways and other enabling infrastructure. When it opens in 2031, the parallel runway system will significantly increase Melbourne Airport's capacity by allowing for simultaneous take offs and landings, which will help reduce delays and give existing airlines and new entrants the infrastructure they need to grow. The length of the existing east-west runway will be restored to maximise opportunities for noise sharing. [more - original PR] [more - original PR - II]