Airports Act 1996

This section specifies the matters that must be set out in each draft or final master plan for an airport.

In the case of an airport other than a joint‑user airport, a draft or final master plan must specify:

the airport‑lessee company’s development objectives for the airport; and

the airport‑lessee company’s assessment of the future needs of civil aviation users of the airport, and other users of the airport, for services and facilities relating to the airport; and

the airport‑lessee company’s intentions for land use and related development of the airport site, where the uses and developments embrace airside, landside, surface access and land planning/zoning aspects; and

an Australian Noise Exposure Forecast (in accordance with regulations, if any, made for the purpose of this paragraph) for the areas surrounding the airport; and

flight paths (in accordance with regulations, if any, made for the purpose of this paragraph) at the airport; and

the airport‑lessee company’s plans, developed following consultations with the airlines that use the airport and local government bodies in the vicinity of the airport, for managing aircraft noise intrusion in areas forecast to be subject to exposure above the significant ANEF levels; and

the airport‑lessee company’s assessment of environmental issues that might reasonably be expected to be associated with the implementation of the plan; and

the airport‑lessee company’s plans for dealing with the environmental issues mentioned in paragraph (f) (including plans for ameliorating or preventing environmental impacts); and

in relation to the initial period (see subsection (3A)) of the master plan—a plan for a ground transport system on the landside of the airport that details:

a road network plan; and

the facilities for moving people (employees, passengers and other airport users) and freight at the airport; and

the linkages between those facilities, the road network and public transport system at the airport and the road network and public transport system outside the airport; and

the arrangements for working with the State or local authorities or other bodies responsible for the road network and the public transport system; and

the capacity of the ground transport system at the airport to support operations and other activities at the airport; and

the likely effect of the proposed developments in the master plan on the ground transport system and traffic flows at, and surrounding, the airport; and

in relation to the initial period (see subsection (3A)) of the master plan—detailed information on the proposed developments in the master plan that are to be used for:

commercial, community, office or retail purposes; or

for any other purpose that is not related to airport services; and

in relation to the initial period (see subsection (3A)) of the master plan—the likely effect of the proposed developments in the master plan on:

employment levels at the airport; and

the local and regional economy and community, including an analysis of how the proposed developments fit within the planning schemes for commercial and retail development in the area that is adjacent to the airport; and

in relation to the initial period (see subsection (3A)) of the master plan—an environment strategy that details:

the airport‑lessee company’s objectives for the environmental management of the airport; and

the areas (if any) within the airport site which the airport‑lessee company, in consultation with State and Federal conservation bodies, identifies as environmentally significant; and

the sources of environmental impact associated with airport operations; and

the studies, reviews and monitoring to be carried out by the airport‑lessee company in connection with the environmental impact associated with airport operations; and

the time frames for completion of those studies and reviews and for reporting on that monitoring; and

the specific measures to be carried out by the airport‑lessee company for the purposes of preventing, controlling or reducing the environmental impact associated with airport operations; and

the time frames for completion of those specific measures; and

details of the consultations undertaken in preparing the strategy (including the outcome of the consultations); and

any other matters that are prescribed in the regulations; and

such other matters (if any) as are specified in the regulations.

Airside means the part of the airport grounds, and the part of the airport buildings, to which the non‑travelling public does not have free access.

Landside means the part of the airport grounds, and the part of the airport buildings, to which the non‑travelling public has free access.

In the case of a joint‑user airport, a draft or final master plan must specify:

the airport‑lessee company’s development objectives for civil use of the airport; and

the airport‑lessee company’s assessment of the future needs of civil aviation users of the airport, and other civil users of the airport, for services and facilities relating to the area of the airport site leased to the company; and

the airport‑lessee company’s intentions for land use and related development of the area of the airport site leased to the company, where the uses and developments embrace:

in all cases—landside, surface access and land planning/zoning aspects; and

if the leased area includes one or more runways or taxiways—airside aspects; and

an Australian Noise Exposure Forecast (in accordance with regulations, if any, made for the purpose of this paragraph) for the areas surrounding the airport; and

flight paths (in accordance with regulations, if any, made for the purpose of this paragraph) at the airport; and

the airport‑lessee company’s plans, developed following consultations with the airlines that use the airport, local government bodies in the vicinity of the airport and the Defence Department, for managing aircraft noise intrusion in areas forecast to be subject to exposure above the significant ANEF levels; and

the airport‑lessee company’s assessment of environmental issues that might reasonably be expected to be associated with the implementation of the plan; and

the airport‑lessee company’s plans for dealing with the environmental issues mentioned in paragraph (f) (including plans for ameliorating or preventing environmental impacts); and

in relation to the initial period (see subsection (3A)) of the master plan—a plan for a ground transport system on the landside of the airport that details:

a road network plan; and

the facilities for moving people (employees, passengers and other airport users) and freight at the airport; and

the linkages between those facilities, the road network and public transport system at the airport and the road network and public transport system outside the airport; and

the arrangements for working with the State or local authorities or other bodies responsible for the road network and the public transport system; and

the capacity of the ground transport system at the airport to support operations and other activities at the airport; and

the likely effect of the proposed developments in the master plan on the ground transport system and traffic flows at, and surrounding, the airport; and

in relation to the initial period (see subsection (3A)) of the master plan—detailed information on the proposed developments in the master plan that are to be used for:

commercial, community, office or retail purposes; or

for any other purpose that is not related to airport services; and

in relation to the initial period (see subsection (3A)) of the master plan—the likely effect of the proposed developments in the master plan on:

employment levels at the airport; and

the local and regional economy and community, including an analysis of how the proposed developments fit within the planning schemes for commercial and retail development in the area that is adjacent to the airport; and

in relation to the initial period (see subsection (3A)) of the master plan—an environment strategy that details:

the airport‑lessee company’s objectives for the environmental management of the airport; and

the areas (if any) within the airport site which the airport‑lessee company, in consultation with State and Federal conservation bodies, identifies as environmentally significant; and

the sources of environmental impact associated with civil aviation operations at the airport; and

the studies, reviews and monitoring to be carried out by the airport‑lessee company in connection with the environmental impact associated with civil aviation operations at the airport; and

the time frames for completion of those studies and reviews and for reporting on that monitoring; and

the specific measures to be carried out by the airport‑lessee company for the purposes of preventing, controlling or reducing the environmental impact associated with civil aviation operations at the airport; and

the time frames for completion of those specific measures; and

details of the consultations undertaken in preparing the strategy (including the outcome of the consultations); and

any other matters that are prescribed in the regulations; and

such other matters (if any) as are specified in the regulations.

Airside means the part of the airport grounds, and the part of the airport buildings, to which the non‑travelling public does not have free access.

Landside means the part of the airport grounds, and the part of the airport buildings, to which the non‑travelling public has free access.

The initial period of the master plan is:

in the case of Sydney (Kingsford‑Smith) Airport, Sydney West Airport, Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airport, Brisbane Airport or Perth Airport—the first 5 years of the plan; or

in the case of any other airport—the first 8 years of the plan.

See section 68 for the airports to which this Part applies.

The regulations may provide that the objectives, assessments, proposals, forecasts and other matters covered by subsection (2) or (3) may relate to one or more of the following:

the whole of the planning period of the plan;

one or more specified periods that are included in the planning period of the plan;

subject to any specified conditions, a specified period that is longer than the planning period of the plan.

Planning period is defined by section 72.

The regulations may provide that, in specifying a particular objective, assessment, proposal, forecast or other matter covered by subsection (2) or (3), a draft or final master plan must address such things as are specified in the regulations.

In specifying a particular objective or proposal covered by paragraph (2)(a), (c), (ga), (gb) or (gc) or (3)(a), (c), (ga), (gb) or (gc), a draft or final master plan must address:

the extent (if any) of consistency with planning schemes in force under a law of the State in which the airport is located; and

if the draft or final master plan is not consistent with those planning schemes—the justification for the inconsistencies.

Subsection (6) does not, by implication, limit subsection (5).

In developing plans referred to in paragraph (2)(e) and (3)(e), an airport‑lessee company must have regard to Australian Standard AS 2021—2000 (“Acoustics—Aircraft noise intrusion—Building siting and construction”) as in force or existing at that time.

Subsection (8) does not, by implication, limit the matters to which regard may be had.

In this section: