THE future of the Horsham airport remains in limbo.
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Councillors rejected a call to safeguard the airport’s future from surrounding developments at Horsham Rural City Council’s meeting on Monday.
The current master plan for the site remains in draft with the previous council failing to pass the plan. The draft plan suggests extensions of the airport’s runways to the south.
A southern extension of the runways would cancel out option D of the Horsham bypass would be quashed. The route is the only one that has VicRoads approval.
Cr John Robinson gave a Notice of Motion asking the council to take “immediate steps” to protect the ongoing operation and development of the airport.
In his motion Cr Robinson asked to limit the development around the airport in order to protect runway length extensions of 2000 metres to the south and east.
He said recent discussions by the council regarding bypass planning activity could impact current and future airport operations.
“This activity has resulted in widespread concern by our community. As a council we have in the past discussed this at length,” he said.
“An opportunity presents itself to protect the airport into the future. A lot of blood was bled around option D of the Horsham bypass. The airport master plan was rejected by the previous council and is still in draft.”
Mayor Pam Clarke said she couldn’t support Cr Robison’s motion because it was too complex.
“You can’t have lay people making complex decisions like that – you need people who are versed with all the technical information. To bring it up at a council meeting where we haven’t had the ability to discuss it beforehand or have expert advice… to pass something like that, you would be in real trouble,” she said.
“If we were to extend the runway to the south, it would impede future developments to the west of Horsham – and in reality we can only expand the residential areas to the south and the west.”
Cr David Grimble supported Cr Robinson’s motion and said the airport was “extremely vulnerable”.
“The current arrangements aren’t even in draft,” he said.
“We need to draw a circle around it to say it’s a no-go zone – no matter if it’s threatened by a bypass or by housing developments.
“I’m frustrated that we are no closer to receiving protection for it. I encourage my fellow councillors to support this… we are the custodians of an important community asset.”
Cr Mark Radford said the airport’s future needed to be protected, however couldn’t support the suggested southern extension of the runways.
“If we will be catering to bigger aircraft, I can’t entertain why you would send them closer to Horsham,” Cr Radford said.
Cr Les Power agreed.
“My concern is the south runway. This has been my concern since we started looking at it two years ago,” Cr Power said.
Crs Robinson, Grimble and Josh Koenig voted in favour of the motion, while Crs Radford, Power and Clarke voted against.
Cr Alethea Gulvin said she needed more information and chose to abstain from the vote.
“I’m an analytical person and I need more information. Everything I have written down are questions. I’m conflicted,” Cr Gulvin said.
Cr Clarke used her deciding vote to dismiss the motion.
Cr Radford introduced a secondary motion, asking that council officers update the 2016 Horsham Aerodrome Master Plan draft and present councillors with its progress.
All councillors voted in favour of the second motion.
Cr Clarke said officers would start work on the plan “immediately”.