Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill has called today's announcement that night flights over Linden would be decreased a "step in the right direction", however he said there still a long way to go and vowed to keep fighting.
The Department of Infrastructure today announced changes to the proposed Western Sydney International Airport draft flight paths. For the nighttime operational mode, there will be a significant reduction in night flights over mid-mountains village of Linden.
- "This is welcome news - but there is a lot more work to do for Blue Mountains residents," Cr Greenhill said. "We still need to see the removal of flights over the lower mountains. This is where a very large population is.
"I will be doing a lot more advocacy around the impacts on the lower blue mountains, where flights are proposed to run from 5am-11pm every single day of the week. We also need a curfew.
"Susan Templeman and I have been advocating strongly for our community on this matter, and I thank her for her tireless efforts. I also thank the community for their powerful submissions.
"While a step in the right direction, like the removal of the merge point over Blaxland, we have more work to do, and I promise to keep working hard.
"I am concerned that this change does not address the risk to our UNESCO World Heritage listing. The aesthetic quality of wilderness in the Greater Blue Mountains is one of the most significant. This pristine environment includes a series of large natural areas where the influence of modern, industrial society is minimal.
"The Blue Mountains National Park is the most visited in NSW and we are still at risk of non-stop planes littering the sky both day and night, impacting the experience and values of the wilderness for countless generations and threatening our World Heritage Status. This is simply not good enough.
"There is still a significant risk to the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, and to the local community. We need many more wins before I will be satisfied. And we will keep fighting."
Blue Mountains City Council's submission to the draft WSI lists a raft of concerns, including:
- Environmental impacts
- High visual impact to iconic landscapes such as the Three Sisters
- Threat to Aboriginal Cultural Heritage and land-sky connection
- Impacts on residents including noise
- Lack of wilderness area assessment
- Threat to the Blue Mountains local economy and tourism,
- Threats to the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and
- Inadequate notification of the proposal to UNESCO.
To view the proposed changes, visit www.wsiflightpaths.gov.au
"There will be community consultation on these changes and when this is announced I encourage residents to have their say and keep the submissions flowing," Cr Greenhill said.
Image: Panellists at last year's Western Sydney Airport Public Forum, at Springwood.
