Western Sydney Airport

Western Sydney Airport
Badgerys Creek Airport
Outline of airport site (in blue)
 – land acquired by the Commonwealth.
Badgerys Creek Road and Parkland, within the airport site.
Summary
Airport type Public (Under Construction)
Serves Western Sydney
Location Badgerys Creek, New South Wales, Australia
Elevation AMSL 262 ft / 80 m
Coordinates 33°52′46″S 150°44′23″E / 33.87944°S 150.73972°E / -33.87944; 150.73972Coordinates: 33°52′46″S 150°44′23″E / 33.87944°S 150.73972°E / -33.87944; 150.73972
Map
Western Sydney Airport
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
05 / 23 (under construction) 3,700 12,139 Asphalt

The Western Sydney Airport (also known as Badgerys Creek Airport) is a site for the second Sydney airport, located within the suburb of Badgerys Creek. The Airport is planned to have 24 hour and curfew-free operations. Construction of Stage 1 of the Airport began on 24 September 2018 and is expected to be complete by 2026.[1] The site was officially designated by the Federal Government on 15 April 2014, after decades of debate on the location of another airport within the Sydney basin.[2]

The site of the airport is situated 44 kilometres (27 mi) west of the Sydney CBD and 41 km (25 mi) west of the Kingsford Smith Airport. The site is located within 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) to the Blue Mountains National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site)[3] and lies 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) east to Warragamba Dam, Sydney's largest drinking water catchment.[4]

The site is within the City of Liverpool local government area and consists of approximately 1,700 hectares (4,200 acres) of Commonwealth land that was acquired between 1986 and 1991.[5]

The Federal Government claims the initial construction phase is expected to generate around 4,000 jobs, the airport development is expected to create 35,000 jobs by 2035, increasing to 60,000 jobs over time.[2]

The airport is legislated for construction via the Commonwealth Governments Airports Act 1996, and is known as Sydney West Airport under this Act.[6] The airport will be developed and operated under the Airports Act 1996. The Airport Plan released in December 2016 by the Commonwealth Government for the airport site notes that the airport is referred to in the Airports Act as Sydney West Airport and also is commonly known as Western Sydney Airport.[7]

Flight paths

On 19 October 2015, the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was released by the coalition government. This Statement outlined the proposed flight paths for Western Sydney Airport from initial opening in mid 2020s to 2050 for future flight paths for an international expansion.[8]

After an extensive community backlash and as a last measure to secure her seat, Liberal MP Louise Markus (now ousted due to this issue[11]) and the coalition government announced a scrapping of this Blaxland merge point.[12]

  • In the final EIS, (released on September 15, 2016) the flight plans were still unclear, with only long term 2050 (international expansion) flight paths outlined. The flight paths in use from commencement of the airport's operations are not in the EIS, or available anywhere else.[13][14]

Initial development

The site at Badgerys Creek was chosen because it was considered the preferred site by successive studies including an environmental impact statement that was completed in 1999.[5] It is planned that the airport will be built in phases with the initial construction phase building a smaller airport with a single runway. The cost of the initial development has been estimated at A$2.4 billion (as at 2012) and to generate 4,000 jobs. The government plans the initial phase would be complete and operational by 2025.[15] Sydney Airport Corporation, the operator of Sydney Airport, was given the right of first refusal to build and operate any second airport in an agreement reached with the Government when Sydney Airport was sold in 2002.[16] Sydney Airport declined the offer to build and operate the airport on 2 May 2017.[17]

It is believed the initial phase, with only one runway, would be favourable for budget airlines and airlines offering point to point travel. The airport will not have a night-time curfew, as the existing Sydney Airport now does.[16]

Ground transport

Road connections

With the designation of site as the location of Sydney's Second Airport, announcements were made on new and upgraded transport links to the airport and surrounding areas of western Sydney. The announcement included:[18]

Rail connections

In April 2014 the Federal Government said it had no plans to build a train line. However it indicated provision for the train line would be included in the development, this may include preparing the tunnels under the runway as part of the runway construction and preparing the underground space for a station. It was considered likely the rail connection to the airport would consist of an extension to the South West Rail Link from Leppington.[19] In October 2015, Malcolm Turnbull - who had become Prime Minister the previous month - indicated that the Badgerys Creek Airport would need both road and rail links to Sydney.[20] A scoping study into rail investment to service Western Sydney and the Western Sydney Airport was announced in November 2015. The study was jointly managed by the state and federal governments.[21] A discussion paper was released in September 2016. The paper proposed various options that could provide a rail link to the airport:[22]

OptionMode
Extension of the South West Rail Link from LeppingtonSuburban rail
Line to the Sydney Metro Northwest at Rouse HillLikely to be metro
Extension of the Sydney Metro City & Southwest from Bankstown via LiverpoolMetro
Line to the Main Western railway line at St MarysSuburban rail
New express line to the Sydney CBD via ParramattaMetro
Line between Macarthur and Schofields via WSA and St MarysLikely to be metro

The final report was released in March 2018. It proposed that two lines would ultimately service the airport: a "North-South Link" from Schofields to Macarthur and an "East-West Link" from Parramatta to the "Badgerys Creek Aerotropolis" - an area south of the airport. The East-West Link would likely form an extension of the already-announced Sydney Metro West. An extension of the South West Rail Link to the Badgerys Creek Aerotropolis was also proposed; interchanging with the North-South Link or East-West Link would be required to access the airport itself.[23]

At the same time, the governments announced the development of a new rail line serving the airport. This line would form part of the North-South Link, running south from St Marys to the airport, before continuing on to the Badgerys Creek Aerotropolis. Funding for the line will be split 50:50 between the governments.[24] The report suggested that "a metro or light metro style of train would suit the North-South Link".[23] The line is scheduled to open by the time the airport opens in 2026.[25]

Bus connections

New express bus routes to the airport precinct were announced in March 2018, running from Penrith, Liverpool and Campbelltown.[24]

Current site

The site of the proposed airport is an area of undulating low-lying hills with several small watercourses and lakes. The area is primarily farmland and large acreage allotments.

Development milestones

  • 15 April 2014 - Federal Government designated Badgerys Creek as the site for the Second Sydney Airport. Commencement of planning for the site.
  • 18 August 2014 - Federal Government formally issues a 'Notice to Consult' to the Sydney Airport Group, to enable formal discussion on development and 'Right of First Refusal' to develop and operate it.[26]
  • 20 January 2015 - Construction begins on upgrading Bringelly Road. This is the first major upgrade to one of the 3 roads servicing the airport.[27]
  • 20 January 2015 - Geotechnical investigations, to profile the subsoil and rock, begin on the airport site.[28]
  • June 2015 - Residents vacate government land reserved for airport.[29]
  • 19 October 2015 - Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is released for public exhibition to enable community consultation.[30]
  • 16 September 2016 - Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is released.[13]
  • 18 December 2015 - Public exhibition and submission period for the draft EIS closes.[30]
  • Early 2016 - Construction starts on upgrading roads surrounding the airport site.
  • 15 September 2016 - Final EIS released [30]
  • 2 May 2017 - Sydney Airport declines offer to run second airport at Badgerys Creek [17]
  • 9 May 2017 - As part of the Federal Budget 2017, the Australian Government has committed up to $5.3 billion over 10 years to build the Western Sydney Airport through a new company, WSA Co.[31]
  • 24 September 2018 - Major construction of Stage 1 officially began at the airport site [32]

Construction timeline

  • 2026 - Stage 1 Expected to be Completed.

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://westernsydneyairport.gov.au/files/summary_brochure-an_airport_for_WS.pdf
  2. 1 2 Truss, Warren; Abbott, Tony. "Western Sydney Airport to Deliver Jobs and Infrastructure". Ministry for Inreastructure and Regional Development (Press release). Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  3. ↑ http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/917
  4. ↑ "Visit Warragamba Dam".
  5. 1 2 "Fact sheet: Why was Badgerys Creek chosen?". Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development. Commonwealth of Australia.
  6. ↑ https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2016C00709
  7. ↑ http://westernsydneyairport.gov.au/files/Western_Sydney_Airport_Plan.pdf
  8. ↑ http://westernsydneyairport.gov.au/resources/deis/
  9. ↑ http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/news/penrith-and-blue-mountains-avoid-western-sydney-airport-plane-noise-but-still-under-flight-path/news-story/2537102627625bb0f2c5f73e5e09d40f
  10. ↑ http://www.bluemts.com.au/info/towns/blaxland/
  11. ↑ http://www.news.com.au/national/federal-election/what-went-wrong-for-the-coalition-in-bass-bowman-braddon-lindsay-edenmonaro--and-the-other-seats-they-lost/news-story/40fb0209495422ded46d9388369b97b9
  12. ↑ http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/aviation/minister-paul-fletcher-silent-on-badgerys-airport-noise-plans/news-story/5fffbee9cc9712f061618d4f2d5a9da0
  13. 1 2 http://westernsydneyairport.gov.au/resources/eis/index.aspx
  14. ↑ http://westernsydneyairport.gov.au/resources/eis/files/WSA-EIS-Volume-2a-Stage-1-Development.pdf
  15. ↑ "Fact sheet: Building an airport at Badgerys Creek". Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development. Commonwealth of Australia.
  16. 1 2 O'Sullivan, Matt (16 April 2014). "Sydney Airport looks west". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  17. 1 2 "Sydney Airport declines offer to run second airport at Badgerys Creek". ABC News. ABC. 2 May 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  18. ↑ "Delivering the Western Sydney Economic Infrastructure Plan". Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development. Commonwealth of Australia. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  19. ↑ Saulwick, Jacob (16 April 2014). "Federal government plans for airport rail line but will not build it". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  20. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/oct/16/malcolm-turnbull-sydney-airport-badgerys-creek-airport-rail
  21. ↑ "Western Sydney Airport". Transport for NSW. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  22. ↑ "Western Sydney Rail Needs Scoping Study: Chapter 6 - The options" (PDF). Transport for NSW. September 2016.
  23. 1 2 "Western Sydney Rail Needs Scoping Study Outcomes Report". Australian Government and New South Wales Government. March 2018. pp. 7–11, 54–58. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  24. 1 2 "Western Sydney City Deal to deliver rail, investment and jobs". Transport for NSW. 4 March 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  25. ↑ "Western Sydney City Deal - Connectivity". Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  26. ↑ Truss, Warren (18 August 2014). "Western Sydney airport: Notice to Consult issued today". Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Australian Government. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  27. ↑ "Construction starts on first Western Sydney Airport road". Prime Minister of Australia. Australian Government. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  28. ↑ Truss, Warren (20 January 2015). "Geotechnical analysis starts at Badgerys Creek". Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Australian Government. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  29. ↑ Nageshwar, Pranesh (13 April 2015). "Nick the Slasher forced to join airport exodus at Badgerys Creek". Penrith Press. News Corporation. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  30. 1 2 3 "The Western Sydney Airport Draft Environmental Impact Statement 2015". Western Sydney Airport. Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  31. ↑ Fletcher MP, Paul (11 May 2017). "Government commits up to $5.3 billion to build Western Sydney Airport". Media Releases. Australian Government. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  32. ↑ "Scott Morrison to turn first 'sod' for Sydney's second airport". 9NEWS. Nine Digital. 24 September 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
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