noise impact concerns
For years we have been advocating for robust monitoring and public reporting regimes in place for aircraft noise, with the aim of reducing these impacts as much as possible, as part of our role on the Gold Coast Airport’s consultative committees.
Under its Preliminary Draft Master Plan 2024, the Gold Coast Airport is seeking approval from the Federal Government to increase the number of passenger jet flights over the long-term from 110/day to 452/day, the airfield’s Ultimate Practical Capacity (UPC) – an increase of 410%.
Analysis by the Fingal Head Residents Association highlights a concerning issue not explained in the text of the draft Master Plan.
The two maps below from the draft Master Plan 2024 show the projected expansion of noise event contours associated with this increased number of flights. Arrows, notes, and interpretation comments have been added.
The N70 contours show the average number of events per day that exceed an outdoor sound level of 70 A-weighted decibels or dB(A). An outdoor sound level of 70 dB(A) roughly correlates to an indoor sound level of 60 dB(A), the range at which conversations are expected to be disrupted. The implication for residents within the substantially expanded Tugun to Banora Point N70 200 event zone is that as the airport reaches UPC their conversations are expected to be interrupted by aircraft noise around 200 times per day (between 6.00am and 11.00pm QLD – the airport operating hours).
Currently the N70 200 event zone is contained largely within the airport lease area. However, the big increase projected in the N70 200 event zone over the coming years is an unacceptable impact on resident’s amenity and wellbeing. No additional noise amelioration measures are proposed in the draft Master Plan to mitigate this impact. The Gold Coast Lifestyle Assoc considers this “do nothing” approach to be completely inappropriate. If the Airport is to be granted the substantial financial benefits of steadily increasing passenger jet flight numbers, then it should be required to implement reasonable noise mitigation measures as a normal cost of the expansion of its business.
noise concerns raised in submission
In our submission to the Gold Coast Airport’s 2024 Preliminary Draft Master Plan consultation process, we wrote that no approval should be granted by the Federal Government to increase passenger jet flights by 410% unless the Airport be required to implement a robust Noise Abatement Procedure to properly minimise and mitigate the additional noise impact on the affected community.
We also recommend the Federal Government act in the public interest and require that the 2024 Draft Master Plan commit to development of a noise amelioration program (fitting or retro-fitting of noise proofing and air conditioning to affected residential dwellings) in consultation with the community between now and the next Master Plan in 2032. This 8-year period will allow ample time for an appropriate noise amelioration program to be developed and commenced. Any future Master Plans involving increased passenger jet flight numbers after 2032 can then be evaluated in the context of whether the community impacts of additional aircraft noise have been adequately mitigated and whether improvements in aircraft technology and noise reduction allow scope for additional flights without the unacceptable community impacts that are currently projected.
