HORSHAM councillors have called for the safeguarding of Horsham's Aerodrome after a new council document exploring the facility's future was given the green light.
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Horsham council passed a motion at its December meeting to "engage external consultants to prepare the 2019 Horsham Aerodrome Masterplan and Development Strategy document".
It will be the third document of its kind in a decade after the 2010 Horsham Aerodrome Business Plan and the 2016 Horsham Aerodrome Master Plan.
In his report to the council, consultant project manager Michael McCarthy said a review of both previous documents identified the need for "further technical reviews and accumulation of extra detailed data".
"(This is needed) to provide the necessary evidence base to support the development of the appropriate planning scheme amendment documentation to protect the long-term development potential of the Horsham aerodrome," he said.
In September 2016 the council rejected the 2016 masterplan which suggested extensions of the airport's runways to the south.
A southern extension of the runways would cancel out option D of the Horsham bypass. The route is the only one that has VicRoads approval.
At council's December meeting, councillor John Robinson requested some slight amendments to the motion recommendations.
He asked for "operation safety" to be added to the list of considerations when addressing preferred runway extension options. He also asked for the statement "recognise the importance of Horsham's north-south runway in the regional context" to be included.
Cr David Grimble said the council needed to work out what the best long-term strategy was for the aerodrome, which would "take time and patience".
"The aerodrome, I thought, was reasonably secure, but it appears to be vulnerable to the point that, as a custodian of a community asset, I have a responsibility to make sure we protect the aerodrome so it can be developed unconstrained in all directions," he said.
"My view is very simplistic: we should be able to put a dot on the aerodrome, draw a circle around it, and say it's a no-go zone for possible development. We don't know what changes will be needed beyond the next 20 years.
"Aircraft is getting bigger, faster and requiring longer runways. We're also seeing a change in firefighting and the use of aerial support aircraft. We also know the air ambulance flies in on a regular basis and that aircraft is also getting a lot bigger and faster."
Cr Pam Clarke said the aerodrome was one of the region's most important facilities.
"With the longer and hotter summers we're having through climate change, we need to make sure that our airport is able to take bombers coming in to refuel and take off," she said.
"Having been a recipient of the air ambulance twice, I know how important it is to have a safe runway, especially in the middle of the night."
Councillors unanimously passed the motion to endorse the new strategy and masterplan with Cr Robinson's amendments.
The new strategy and masterplan will look at the aerodrome's current uses; existing conditions and constraints; long term vision and future role; forecast demand; long term masterplan; short to medium term development strategy; and implementation plan.
Consultants will work with key users such as the senior officers of the Country Fire Authority; Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning; and passenger air suppliers to create the strategy.
An allocation of $70,000 will be referred to the council's budget process for 2020-21 to develop the strategy.
What came before?
IN October 2018, Cr Robinson gave a Notice of Motion asking the council to take "immediate steps" to protect the ongoing operation and development of the aerodrome.
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.
The motion was dismissed, however Cr Mark 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.
At the council's April 2019 meeting, councillors deferred a planning permit for a 15-metre tower on Dimboola Road, Horsham.
In his report to the council, senior statutory planner Nicholas Carey said the council had received correspondence from the Horsham Aerodrome Users Group regarding the proposed tower.
Mr Carey said the group maintained the position that an alternative site for the tower should be considered.
"The group is concerned about the impact the proposed tower will have on the two per cent glidescope should the 17/35 runway be extended to 2000 metres in length," he said.
Cr Robinson proposed secondary motion to defer the decision of the application. He said there were many other suitable locations for the facility.
The council voted unanimously in favour of Cr Robinson's motion.
Read council's full December agenda below:
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