WYONG mayor Doug Eaton has scoffed at calls for an investigation into the council’s plans to develop a regional airport at Warnervale.
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Solicitors acting for the Community Environment Network have written to the state government calling for the probe.
CEN chairman John Asquith said it was concerning that council had “extended and widened” the old landing strip, claiming that the works were “urgent maintenance”.
Mr Asquith said council’s upgrade of the airstrip appeared to be in breach of the Warnervale Airport Restrictions Act (1996).
‘‘This Act was passed by the NSW Parliament to protect nearby residents and the environment of Porters Creek wetland from just this situation,’’ Mr Asquith said.
‘’CEN estimates that approximately 15,000 residents in Wyong Shire – being in the suburbs of Mardi, Watanobbi, Warnervale, North Wyong, Wallarah, Halloran and Jilliby – could be adversely affected.”
Cr Eaton said the length of the runway was not in dispute.
“At the end of the day, [the runway] is under 1200 metres long which is the trigger for the Warnervale Airport Restrictions Act,” Cr Eaton told ABC Central Coast radio this week.
‘’And nobody is saying it’s over 1200 metres.
“The argument really comes down to whether there was historically a longer runway than was asphalted,” he said.
The asphalt runway was now 1194 metres long, and previously had been about 950 metres, he said.
There had been grass run-offs at either end of the runway, which may have confused the matter, he said.
“I don’t know what people are getting excited about.”
Mr Asquith said council’s decision to spend $17 million of ratepayers’ money to buy land at Kiar Ridge for a regional airport in 2014 should also be investigated.
“We have seen no studies or reports which justify any of council’s actions in buying or selling this land,” Mr Asquith said.
“Council is now proposing to build an airport at Warnervale. Again no studies, reports or other justification have been made public.”
Cr Eaton said council had decided to revisit the idea of a regional airport because there was now a clear business case for one.
“That is because other airports have shut down or are closing down,” he said.
Council’s upgrade of the airstrip was already reaping rewards, he said.
Skydive Sydney, the largest skydiving company in Australia, would be operating at the site in six months, bringing with it 50 jobs to begin with, the mayor said.
“They will bring in tourists from around Australia and overseas.”
The Newcastle Herald recently reported the council was secretly planning to spend $60 million for an aviation hub at the airstrip based on an American company's proposal to build amphibious aircraft on the site.