June 4th, 2024Ballarat draft airport plan out for final feedback

The Ballarat City Council has endorsed its draft Ballarat Airport Strategy and Master Plan to go out for community’s review, at its recent May scheduled meeting. 

Almost 200 submissions from residents informed the draft plan, along with those of more than 50 Ballarat business leaders.  

Both groups were overwhelmingly supportive of the airport, with 80 per cent of businesses stating that an airline service operating from Ballarat Airport would benefit them, and more than 70 per cent of residents similarly backing the concept.

The purpose of the Ballarat Airport Strategy and Master Plan (STAMP) is to provide the City of Ballarat with a strategic planning document that will set out the potential role and uses of the Airport and explore future opportunities for growth.

The STAMP reflects much of industry’s feedback:  

• businesses in Ballarat and Western Victoria would like greater connectivity to other areas of Australia to have direct access to new markets and suppliers;  
• significant productivity gains would arise from having an interstate airline service available in the region;  
• visitation to Ballarat and Western Victoria would increase, benefiting the region’s economy, in particular, our tourism partners; and
• upgrades to the airport would also increase the capacity for emergency services.  

Some of the responses received from the community – which have also been incorporated into the draft strategy – include:  

• the creation of noise-abatement strategies to address concerns about aircraft noise;  
• an appropriate development plan to effectively manage the costs of upgrading the airport; and
• the proposed completion of studies to minimise the environmental impacts of the airport and its operations.

Despite these concerns, however, residents were largely supportive of developing the airport and viewed the economic growth opportunities arising from an upgraded airport as the primary benefit, along with the time and cost savings derived from removing the secondary travel to Melbourne airports.  

City of Ballarat Councillor Samantha McIntosh said it is great to see the community’s feedback incorporated into the strategic direction of Ballarat’s Airport.  

“This strategy will help us direct a 20-year plan where we could eventually see our airport accommodate large turboprop and medium jet aircraft with the capability to operate passenger and freight services and increase capacity for emergency services” she said.  

The draft Ballarat Airport Strategy and Master Plan will now be available for the community to review and ask questions via the council’s My Say webpage.

Alternatively, the community are being invited to attend the drop-in sessions, to view the plan and concepts and chat with the City of Ballarat project team.  Sessions remaining ahead include:

Ballarat Airport: 9am Thursday 6 June 2024 at the Ballarat Airport Terminal Building, Ballarat Airport.  

Lucas: 5pm Thursday 13 June 2024 at the Lucas Community Hub, Coltman Plaza Lucas.