Perth Airport giving concerned residents experience of third runway

PERTH Airport’s walk-through experience centre is giving interested people an opportunity to discover more about the planned third runway.

All the plans for the runway expansion project at the airport are on public display at the experience centre, which has become a centre point of efforts to convince people about the future need and timing for a parallel runway.

Particularly, those worried about the prospect of increased aircraft noise in residential suburbs brought about by increased flight numbers and new or changed flight paths.

The experience centre includes a visual display of projected flight path scenarios, charts and maps, as well as an interactive audio area where people can hear and compare aircraft noise levels expected to be experienced in affected suburbs.

With six weeks remaining in the public consultation period for the runway plan, Perth Airport chief executive Kevin Brown maintained only a small minority so far had expressed concerns.

Noise increases were their main worry.

“We appreciate this is a new project, people will be concerned about it and they just want to know what it means for them,” he said.

“In many cases residents had feared the worst but once the project had been explained, went away feeling more comfortable.”

With the chance for people to have their say about the plan open until August 24, the experience centre is open to the public six days per week, including weekends and evenings.

The Perth Airport runway expansion project has been planned for over 40 years and has been reflected in statutory public plans since 1985.

Modelling shows a new runway to run parallel to the main runway could be needed and completed between 2023 and 2028.

Flight paths proposed are not set and form part of the current opportunity for people to provide feedback, which will be tabled for the Federal Government’s consideration.

Parking at the site is free.