Airport strategy ready to take off

THE Ballarat Airport Strategy and Master Plan is open for community review.

The plan was informed by almost 200 community submissions and 50 submissions from local business leaders.

Both groups were mostly supportive of the airport with 80 per cent of businesses and 70 per cent of residents saying that a commercial airline service operating from the Airport would benefit them.

The purpose of the plan is to provide the City of Ballarat with a document which provides potential uses of the airport and future growth opportunities.

Industry feedback has been included in the plan, such as the need to provide greater connectivity to new markets, to increase the capacity for emergency services and to establish interstate flights to improve productivity.

Community concerns were also addressed such as noise, cost and environmental impacts.

Cr Samantha McIntosh said it was great to see feedback incorporated into the plan. “This strategy will help us direct a 20-year plan where we could eventually see our airport accommodate large turboprop and medium jet aircraft with the capability to operate passenger and freight services and increase capacity for emergency services,” she said.

The plan is available for review on the City of Ballarat’s MySay page and there will be a drop-in session at Lucas Community Hub at 5pm on Thursday 13 June.