Melbourne Airport has welcomed the Federal Government’s approval of its third runway, which will deliver much needed aviation infrastructure capacity for Victoria and help support thousands of new jobs.
The Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government approved the Major Development Plan for the project, which paves the way for detailed design and construction to start. The approval follows a lengthy community consultation period and robust assessment of the project’s environmental and social impacts.
The 3,000-metre-long runway will be built parallel and 1.3 kilometres 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.
Melbourne Airport Chief Executive Officer Lorie Argus said the new runway would benefit Australian travellers and exporters for decades to come. “Australia’s vast distances and Melbourne’s position on the globe mean demand for air access will continue to grow as our population increases,” she said. “The new north-south runway will ensure Victoria’s primary international gateway has adequate capacity to serve the state’s needs for future generations. Sydney and Brisbane already operate parallel runway systems, so this will ensure that Melbourne does not become a handbrake on the national air network or the national economy. The new runway will require new flight paths, and as part of this project we will be facilitating noise attenuation for dwellings in the most impacted areas. The runway project will secure 51,000 jobs in Victoria’s tourism, agriculture, education and other export industries, and will help add an additional $6 billion a year to the state economy.”
Residents in Melbourne’s north-west will have access to thousands more jobs, which will be unlocked by the delivery of Melbourne Airport’s third runway. As part of the approval, Melbourne Airport will establish the most comprehensive brownfields noise attenuation program in Australian aviation history to support the delivery of its third runway.
Argus said the program responds to comments from community members during the 104-day public consultation period. “The third runway will deliver jobs and economic growth for the state of Victoria and incredible opportunities for the people of Melbourne’s north-west,” she said. “It will also give airlines the room they need to grow, which will provide travellers with more choice. Melbourne Airport was specifically designed to be Victoria’s primary 24-hour international gateway, and we’ve been safeguarding for this expansion for decades. We’ve heard the concerns from some residents about noise, and we’ve worked closely with the government throughout the approval process to develop terms for a comprehensive noise attenuation program that will support the people most affected by aircraft noise. We know the community will have more questions and we look forward to working through those over the coming years as the project progresses.”
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