How to save your airport...

[Old Koreelah]

Visited Boonah airfield last week and was told that a recently-built housing estate at the end of their runway was the source of a few noise complaints. Apparently these people bought or built their homes without noticing that aeroplanes fly over regularly. Common story.

 

Noisy or dusty businesses have similar problems with encroaching housing. Last year GrainCorp lodged an objection to a proposed housing estate near one of its terminals. Presumably they were concerned that future complaints about round-the-clock grain deliveries might threaten their business. They lost, and had to pay legal costs, but at least they have demonstrated they did all they could to ensure future neighbours were warned.

 

http://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/news/local/news/general/objection-dismissed-werris-creek-miner-housing-has-major-win/2607136.aspx

 

 

[Guest Howard Hughes]

The easiest way to protect your local airport is to frequent it whenever you can!

 

 

[dazza 38]

Most of the problems at Boonah (I think) is because we have had alot of GA aircraft move there over the last year or so.I dont think the house owners have a problem with UL aircraft.Especially the 912 powered aircraft.(They probably hardly hear them as they are so quiet).

 

The MP14 Radials and the run of the mill Lycomings and Continentals.Are what the home owners are whinging about.

 

It has me buggered how a home owner who buys a house at the end of a runway, then turns around and has a whinge about aircraft noise.

 

 

[Akromaster]

A little off topic, but anyone in Vic know what happened to Wallan airport? I wished someone had saved it...I moved here to be near airport, then they closed it and built a housing estate there instead.

 

Ak

 

 

[Guest Howard Hughes]

Money talks, Wallan was only ever going to be temporary airport, albeit one that was around for about 20 years.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Doesn't the CASA CEO operate from Boonah. Maybe he can send off a 'Show Cause" letter to them. Councils are the real problem they tend to bow to developers. Amazing how many 'sensitive' residential developments suddenly come to light after they have been in planning stages for a year or so. It doesn't give much time to rally the troops.

 

 

[Akromaster]

Wishful thinking I suppose, but Wallan was supposed to be a nice balance between city and country to bring up my young family on a 2.5 acre block. Since I've been here all of 3.5 years, there's been a flurry of *urban* style housing developments including the airport. I suppose if you want to save the airport, you'd need to get in before the housing development even starts. Unless you live in the shire, you'd probably never know (??).

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Most of the problems at Boonah (I think) is because we have had alot of GA aircraft move there over the last year or so.I dont think the house owners have a problem with UL aircraft.Especially the 912 powered aircraft.(They probably hardly hear them as they are so quiet).The MP14 Radials and the run of the mill Lycomings and Continentals.Are what the home owners are whinging about.

It has me buggered how a home owner who buys a house at the end of a runway, then turns around and has a whinge about aircraft noise.

Thanks for the local knowledge clarification, dazza. A Jabiru took off over us and it was very civilised compared to most of the GA aircraft, whose prop noise can be intolerable on full power, something I have never noticed from an ultralight.

 

 

[shafs64]

Wallan airport was a great spot. what happend was the local council was offered a bucket load of money by a developer to put houses there. And the council siad no because we care about pilots! Hang on that not right they took the money and lived happy ever after:cheers:

 

 

[dazza 38]

[Doesn't the CASA CEO operate from Boonah. ]

Yes he does

 

 

[shafs64]

there u go it will never close. they do a lot of glider flying from there?

 

 

[boingk]

Sounds like a non issue to me... especially in a zone that is not - and unlikely to ever be - zoned purely residential. I mean, come on, I don't have a (full) law degree, but I reckon even I could stand this one up in court:

 

• Objective standard: The 'reasonable person' considers airports at least potentially noisy.
   
   
  
• Well established fact - airport in vincinity *cue photo showing view of airport from house and main road*
   
   
  
• It would therefore stand to reason that a normal person would not consider building their house in close proximity to an operating airport... unless of course they took measures against the unwanted noise, were involved in some beneficial way with the airport, or otherwise has a love of aviation.
   
   
  

 

 

Please orally apply suction to my anatomy, case closed.

 

 

[turboplanner]

Unbeatable case = "Existing Use Right"

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Beware the 'vexatious' complainer.

 

 

[kaz3g]

A little off topic, but anyone in Vic know what happened to Wallan airport? I wished someone had saved it...I moved here to be near airport, then they closed it and built a housing estate there instead.Ak

It's all about the money...

 

Wallan airfield was there because the land often flooded and was deemed unsuitable for housing until someone decided they could make a lot of money out of it. Somehow or other the planning scheme was apparently amended and subdivision approved.

 

Last time I flew over it, there was a lot of water lying around and I feel for any poor bugger that gets sucked into buying a block there.

 

According to recent news reports here in Victoria, the current Government has (now) released a further 7000 hectares of former green wedge land for urban development. This on top of 40,000 released just 3 years ago which is projected to provide land for development sufficient to take Melbourne into the next century.

 

The owners of the land in the latest release have been described as "donors" to the ruling political party.

 

Its all about the money...

 

kaz

 

 

[turboplanner]

Yes, Kaz it's very sad and I have to admit I knew some of those people now profiting from those donations, and apparently paying back the favour.

 

Quite a bit of that 47,000 Ha is known flood prone land, and already some of the new developments have been flooded/caused flooding to neighbours.

 

One large developer specialises in selling land in flood prone areas, and one Council voted unanimously to rezone around 12 Ha from Urban Flood Zone to Business 3 because according to the Officers (relationship with developer unknown) it wasn't possible to build factories in a flood zone - problem fixed....except for the poor bastards who bought the factories.

 

Someone soon will wake up that the laws relating to diversion of water flow are relatively simple, and then the lawyers will be able to trade up from Austers, and good on them