What options were considered As part of the initial planning for the new runway, several options were identified and assessed before determining that the new runway is the most appropriate development to meet the future demand for air services for Perth. Planning Location for the new runway identified in the 1970s by a joint Commonwealth and State Government Committee Support growth Providing essential transport infrastructure capacity and supporting WA’s economic development Connecting people and places Furthering Western Australia’s social and cultural development and connecting WA to the world The new runway represents the best option to support the international competitiveness of the State’s critical export industries, including resources, tourism, international study and agriculture. When do we need a How is the new new runway? runway funded? The need for an additional runway at Perth Airport was Perth Airport is located on approximately 2,105 hectares of land owned by the first recommended more than 40 years ago by a joint Commonwealth of Australia. Commonwealth and State Government Committee In 1997, the airport was privatised investigating Perth’s planning requirements. under a long term lease with oversight remaining with the Commonwealth of Recent modelling shows that an additional runway is needed to meet Australia. Perth Airport is operated by the demand of intrastate, interstate and international services to and Perth Airport Pty Ltd, which is a wholly from Perth. The need for the new runway is driven by the demand for owned subsidiary of Perth Airport arrivals and departures in a given hour. Development Group Pty Ltd (PADG). Perth Airport experiences significant peak periods at particular times More than 50 per cent of PADG is during the day. owned by superannuation funds, including AustralianSuper and Sunsuper. During the morning peak period, approximately 80 per cent of aircraft are departing and only 20 per cent are arriving. In the early morning, there Perth Airport funds infrastructure is a departure peak that sees up to 40 aircraft departing each hour for a development through a mix of equity and two to three hour period. In the afternoon, there is an arrivals peak which debt from banks and capital markets. sees up to 26 aircraft arriving each hour for a two to three hour period. Current demand exceeds the capacity in these peak periods. No Commonwealth or State Simulation modelling shows that an additional runway is needed when the funding is required for the number of flights exceeds 145,000 per year. In 2013, flight numbers peaked construction of the new runway at 151,000 resulting in significant delays to airlines and passengers. The number of annual flights is forecast to grow, reaching 172,000 by 2025 and 241,000 by 2045. 1985 $1.72b 41.8 MILLION Location of the new runway Lost tourism expenditure Passengers that would not travel released as part of the over 20 years if the new to or from Perth Airport over 20 Perth Airport Master Plan 1985 runway is not built years if the new runway is not built What alternative options were considered? As part of the initial planning for the new runway, several options were identified and assessed before determining that the new runway is the most appropriate development to meet the future demand for air services for Perth. Maximising existing A second metropolitan airport October 2015 with the final approval infrastructure by changing A second metropolitan airport has granted in December 2016. Construction operations been considered since the late 1970s. is scheduled to commence early 2018 with operations starting in 2026. It is Perth Airport, in collaboration with In 2015, the State Government released expected to cost in excess of $2.4 billion. Airservices Australia, continually the State Aviation Strategy noting looks at opportunities to improve the that preliminary work was being Combined with the cost of building the efficiency and capacity of the existing undertaken by the relevant government second airport and given a lead time for runways by improving or changing departments to identify a suitable site. approvals and construction, it is unlikely operational processes and procedures. However, the State Government has that an airport would be constructed Any changes must be considered not identified a location or provided in time to meet the immediate growth and balanced against any impacts any commitment or funding toward needs or forecast demand for air to the environment, surrounding the project. services and therefore is not considered communities and safety. a viable alternative to the new runway. When considering a secondary Between 2008 and 2013, Perth Increase use of other airports Airport undertook significant airfield metropolitan airport, the Alternative airports were considered, infrastructure projects. $250 million significant cost, impact to including Jandakot Airport, Cunderdin was invested in new taxiways, taxiway newly affected areas and the Airport, Busselton - Margaret River widening, enhanced lighting and approach timeframe to plan, approve and Regional Airport and other regional equipment, as well as runway overlays. construct a new airport must airfields. These airports were not viable In 2012, Airservices and Perth Airport be examined. options for various reasons including engaged NATS, the UK’s largest air- not having the runway or terminal navigation service provider, to study In the case of Western Sydney Airport, infrastructure to support the large Perth Airport operations. Through policy makers first considered the passenger aircraft types that use Perth implementing recommendations from need for a second airport in Sydney in Airport and, in some cases, the airports the study, capacity has improved. the 1940’s. It wasn’t until 1986, some are not conveniently located near large However, Perth Airport has largely 40 years later, that land began to be population centres. exhausted efficiencies associated with purchased at the Bagerys Creek site. the existing infrastructure and there is An environmental impact statement a need for additional runway capacity. was released for public comment in $2.5b INVESTMENT The new runway forms part of a privately funded investment program over the next decade New runway timeline 1970s planning PLAN commenced Use of RAAF Base Pearce Expand existing runway LOCATE 1984 location for RAAF Base Pearce is approximately infrastructure parallel runway 30 kilometres north of Perth Airport at Perth Airport The proposed extension of the and has been considered previously as identified cross runway (06/24) from an alternative civilian airport, however 2,163 metres to 3,000 metres 2008 – 2012 GROWTH it was deemed as unacceptable due dramatic and would enable the runway to to operational constraints imposed by unforecast growth accommodate all aircraft types, the topography of the nearby Darling including the Airbus A380. It would INVEST 2010 – 2014 Scarp. allow for an increase in arrivals $250m airfield The Commonwealth Department and departures from the north/ investment of Defence has also publicly stated east, however, there would be very program to that RAAF Pearce is not a suitable little increase in capacity when improve capacity at Perth Airport alternative civilian airport because arriving or departing from the it is one of their busiest and most south/west. The overall increase in 2014 Master MASTER PLAN complex airfields and it operates capacity would only be sufficient Plan approved 2014 using very specialised air traffic to accommodate around 193,000 including how the procedures to allow for the large annual aircraft movements, after new runway would quantity and type of air traffic. which, a new runway would again likely operate be needed. and timing Relocation of Perth Airport DESIGN 2013 – 2017 Increasing the length of the main Given the billions of dollars in technical studies runway (03L/21R) from 3,444 investment of both public and and design work metres to 3,800 metres would private funds that have gone into not provide an increase in arrival 2018 public COMMENT the development of Perth Airport, comment and departure capacity but simply closing Perth Airport would not be a caters for larger aircraft. APPROVAL Anticipated viable solution and an alternative site 2019 approval and has not been identified. Any current Therefore, extending the existing decision to build issues with noise from aircraft would runway infrastructure would not cater 4 years to CONSTRUCT not lessen but simply shift the areas for additional aircraft in peak periods. construct where people are affected. OPEN 2023 – 2028 opening subject to actual demand and airline commercial agreement Why do we need a new runway? No new infrastructure This would have a significant economic Tourism Not constructing the new runway will flow on effect to the State’s economy, Air services are vital to WA’s tourism result in flight delays and constrain including $1.72 billion lost tourism industry and the jobs it supports. growth. expenditure over 20 years if the More than 90 per cent of visitors to runway is not built. WA come by air, with most arriving Simulation modelling has shown that at Perth Airport. Spending by delays would increase from an average The new runway will allow more efficient international and domestic tourists of a five minutes in 2016 to 34 minutes scheduling of regional, domestic and helps to drive the WA economy. by 2045. This would be unacceptable international flights, while improving to airlines and passengers. connectivity between business, tourism and employment, all of which support Supporting the resource sector To reduce the likelihood of delay, airlines WA’s economic growth. Most fly-in fly-out workers are from the would need to either change the time of Perth and Peel regions and rely on flights flights to or from Perth and move flights Social and Cultural Benefits with narrow departure windows, which into the shoulder or non-peak periods, Western Australians rely on air transport are generally in the morning.