By Matthew Sims
Berwick MP Brad Battin has flown the flag for building a new airport in Melbourne’s South East.
Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday 31 May, he asked for Treasurer Tim Pallas to release all economic data as to the viability of placing an airport in the South East growth corridors.
Mr Battin said the area was set to be a growth area for Melbourne.
“We have so much down there with our growth, our businesses, our factories, our access to ports,” he said.
“We have got so many business opportunities for the future, and it is important that we understand, not just for ourselves but also from the council’s perspective, what economic data is available to ensure what we can look at building in the future.
“We have heard many times about an airport being an option, an idea, a dream for the future of the southeast.”
Floated as part of Plan Melbourne 2017-2050 and as part of the Melbourne 2030 plan in 2002, potential sites put forward have included Hastings, Tooradin, and Caldermeade.
The plan outlined a number of considerations, including the impact the introduction of a third major airport would have on the capacity, services, and operations at existing airports and at the local level, the impact on businesses and operations at other smaller airports, such as Tooradin, Tyabb, and Phillip Island.
As part of Plan Melbourne, the State Government undertook work to permanently protect Melbourne’s green wedges and identified areas of strategic agricultural land in green wedges and peri-urban areas to improve planning decision-making to support sustainable agriculture, with the Westernport Green Wedge including peaty clay soils around Koo Wee Rup, the Westernport Biosphere Reserve, parts of the Casey and Cardinia growth areas and an aerobatic training area east of Berwick-Cranbourne Road and north of Ballarto Road.
Mr Battin said starting to look at potential land for the future airport would be a “great discussion”.
“We want to ensure that if we are going to be doing business down in the south-east, every opportunity is given to all in that area for the development, and not just for houses,” he said.
“We cannot continue to have the housing sprawl that we have seen through Clyde North, through Cranbourne, going down through the electorates of Bass, Pakenham, obviously Berwick, Narre Warren North and Narre Warren South.
“We need to ensure that we have got a plan for the future that includes creating jobs and creating opportunities for everyone in that region.”
