When growth collides: conflict between urban and airport growth in Melbourne, Australia

ABSTRACT

International airports make significant contributions to state economies but can detract from local and regional amenity. Australian studies have examined the growth and management of major Australian airports particularly the gateway city of Sydney, and land-use issues associated with airport commercial developments. However, the impacts on future airport operations of incremental urban encroachment onto green belts around airports have been largely ignored. Development around some Australian airports is adding new housing estates to land close to airports. Such development threatens the curfew-free status of Melbourne Airport, the nation’s second largest airport, particularly when coupled with the construction of a planned third runway. This paper examines the failures of Commonwealth, State and local policy and planning systems to prevent extensive urban encroachment over the past 50 years in the green belt surrounding Melbourne Airport and the reciprocal impacts from this development. The threat to airport operations from residential development can only worsen as the projected contribution of Melbourne Airport to the state economy and passenger numbers set to double between 2025 and 2033. The paper examines key planning decisions, relates these to policy and institutional failures, and points to the need for integrated sectoral planning to minimise further impacts and threats.

KEYWORDS:

• Airport planning
• land use
• green belt
• rezoning
• Melbourne Airport

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.