EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction Since the approval of its last Master Plan five years ago, Gold Coast Airport has become Australia s fastest growing airport. It is the fifth busiest international airport in Australia and the sixth busiest airport overall. Since it commenced operations in 1936, Gold Coast Airport has undergone a major transformation from its origins as an emergency landing strip to an international airport servicing more than five million passengers per year in 2011. By 2031, Gold Coast Airport is forecast to have 16.3 million passenger movements. Gold Coast Airport is leased by Gold Coast Airport Pty Ltd (GCAPL) which is wholly owned and operated by Queensland Airports Limited (QAL), a non-listed public company. In 1998, the Federal Government awarded QAL a 50-year lease to operate Gold Coast Airport, with a further 49-year option. Since Queensland Airports Limited acquired Gold Coast Airport in 1998, there has been significant and substantial investment in airport infrastructure and facilities at the airport. Gold Coast Airport Pty Ltd (GCAPL) has invested more than $185 million in capital expenditure during this time on infrastructure. GCAPL has committed more than $163 million in capital expenditure to commence and/or complete developments since the 2006 Airport Master Plan. Airport Master Plan Under the Airports Act 1996, GCAPL is required to prepare and publish an Airport Master Plan every five years. Following public consultation, this plan must ultimately be approved by the Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. This 2011 Master Plan presents detailed concepts for the period covering the next twenty years to the year 2031 including the forecast growth and facilities required to accommodate this growth. This 2011 Master Plan specifically focuses on the development requirements over the next five years. It is a strategic document that is used as a guide for the: Development of airport facilities for both aviation and nonaviation uses; Development of land use control for areas surrounding the airport; Establishment of airport access requirements. Vision for Gold Coast Airport The vision that Gold Coast Airport holds is one that positions this airport as a major economic generator for the communities in the south east Queensland and northern New South Wales regions. The vision is one that sees Gold Coast Airport: Continuing to provide safe, secure and efficient airport operations; Positioned as the principal choice for visitors and locals wishing to travel directly to and from south east Queensland/northern New South Wales; Facilitating domestic and international tourism growth for the region; Continuing as a major generator of employment and other economic benefits for the south east Queensland and northern New South Wales communities through the timely provision of quality air transport facilities and services including freight; Creating a transport hub for the region with a focus on public transport linkages; Enhancing the range of products, facilities and services offered to meet customer expectations; Working in partnership with stakeholders who have a vested interest in the successful development of the airport; Fulfilling environmental and social responsibilities; Engage proactively with our community. The 2011 Master Plan has been prepared in line with GCAPL s vision for Gold Coast Airport. Implementation of the 2011 Master Plan will see GCAPL fulfil this vision while providing an appropriate return on investment to shareholders through sound business management. Assessment of the environmental effects of airport activities including construction and operation of airport facilities; 16 Gold Coast Airport 2011 Master Plan
Key Features of the 2011 Master Plan Compared to the 2006 Master Plan, this 2011 Master Plan incorporates the following changes: While the land use plan remains consistent in relation to the nominated precincts (Runway Precinct, Terminal Precinct, General Aviation Precinct, Western Enterprise Precinct, Cobaki Environment Precinct) and their general areas, there will be a change of use within the Terminal Precinct with the area nominated in 2006 as a Business Park now changed to aviation use (as opposed to non-aviation use) to accommodate forecast increase in demand for aeronautical facilities; A proposed relocation of the landing threshold on runway 32 by approximately 310 metres to the south within the existing runway length, during the first five years of the Master Plan. This 2011 Master Plan again includes the following concepts: Future provision for a possible rail terminus adjacent to the main terminal which would be incorporated into a multi modal transit centre; Development of improved vehicular access from the Gold Coast Highway by provision of upgraded entry and exits; Continued protection of land to the south for future airport development. Forecast Growth In the four years between 2005/06 and 2009/10 (following the approval of the 2006 Master Plan), passenger numbers at Gold Coast Airport have grown from 3.58 million (2005/06) to 5.17 million (2009/10). This represents an overall compound average growth rate (CAGR) of 9.6 per cent with domestic and international CAGR s for the same period of 7.7 per cent and 25.5 per cent respectively. Gold Coast Airport has experienced relatively high growth rates due to the increase in low cost carrier airlines both domestically and internationally within the South East Asia region. This 2011 Master Plan sees GCAPL in a strong position to capitalise on continued demand. By 2031/32 it is forecast that Gold Coast Airport will service a total of 16.3 million passengers, including: 14.0 million domestic passengers; 2.3 million international passengers. Freight Typically international Australian air freight is characterised by outbound tonnages of around 50 per cent of those achieved for inbound freight. By the year 2031/32 the volume of international freight is forecast to be 18,700 tonnes inbound, 9,300 tonnes outbound or a total throughput of 28,000 tonnes. Economic and Regional Significance The economic impact of the Gold Coast Airport precinct is expected to reach $368 million by 2016/2017, and $768 million by 2032, up from $269 million in 2009/2010. Seventy-four per cent of passengers passing through Gold Coast Airport are visitors to the region. By 2016/2017 Gold Coast Airport will facilitate 2.61 million visitors to the region (a 36 per cent increase on 2009/2010); and by 2032 GCA will facilitate 5.47 million visitors to the region (an increase of 184 per cent on 2010). The 2010 Economic Impact Study for the Gold Coast Airport precinct reported a total of 1,719 individuals were employed at 30 June 2010, the equivalent of 1,319 full-time roles. By 2016/2017 this figure will increase by 37 per cent to 2,350 people employed in 1,803 full-time equivalent roles; and by 2031/2032 this figure will equal almost 5000 individuals representing the equivalent of 3,766 full-time jobs. Community and Stakeholder Engagement GCAPL has demonstrated a strong commitment to community consultation and will continue to take a proactive approach to communicating with the local community as well as local, state and federal government representatives, local business and industry partners. GCAPL has an active, robust and ongoing community engagement program including the Community Aviation Consultation Group (CACG) established earlier this year as the primary community engagement forum and covers all areas of airport development activity. Gold Coast Airport s established Airport Noise Abatement Consultative Committee (ANACC) has been a very successful conduit for GCAPL to communicate proactively with the local community, with a particular focus on noise abatement strategies for more than twelve years. Members of ANACC have made a significant contribution to the development of the noise abatement procedures over this time. GCAPL continues to facilitate the ANACC which focuses specifically on aircraft noise issues in the local community. The ANACC provides technical support to the CACG. GCAPL is also committed to supporting the local community and significantly contributes to local community-orientated events and activities through corporate sponsorship. GCAPL is committed to projects and opportunities that enhance the local community, including environmental initiatives and ground transport links. 17
Land Use The 2011 Master Plan identifies the airport s land use precincts according to their predominant existing and intended purposes and, where possible, uses terminology consistent with local authority planning schemes or with commonly understood generic meanings. The GCA land use plan precincts are largely unchanged from the 2006 Master Plan. GCAPL has also retained approximately 25 per cent of the site as an environmentally protected precinct. The precincts identified for GCA are: Runway Precinct; Terminal Precinct; General Aviation Precinct; Western Enterprise Precinct; Cobaki Environment Precinct. The property occupied by Gold Coast Airport, uniquely among Australia's major airports, is partly situated within not only the Gold Coast City Council and Tweed Shire Council areas, but also within two state jurisdictions, New South Wales and Queensland. State and local legislation has been reviewed in detail as part of the preparation of this 2011 Master Plan. Aviation Development GCA is currently attractive to low cost carrier airlines such as Jetstar, AirAsia X and Tiger Airways, due to the efficient and cost effective operation of passenger processing and aircraft turn-around times available. Runways The current runway 14/32 has an available take off length of 2,342 metres in the 14 direction and 2,492 metres in the 32 direction. Consistent with the 1994 FAC Master Plan and 2001 and 2006 GCAPL Master Plans and surrounding land use planning, protection is to be maintained for an ultimate runway length of 2,858 metres. To improve reliability during adverse weather conditions and enable larger long-haul aircraft to utilise the runway it is intended to relocate the runway 32 landing threshold approximately 310 metres to the south along the existing runway length, during the first five-year period of the Master Plan. Taxiways The main runway is currently served by a partial parallel taxiway connecting the main RPT apron. Various stub taxiways connect to the runway at various locations providing additional efficiency and redundancy to the taxiway system. Completing the partial parallel taxiway system and providing additional connections to a southern expanding RPT apron are proposed to be developed as capacity demand requires. Long-term development plans for the Western Enterprise Precinct require a new taxiway system connecting the main runway to the proposed western apron. Aprons The current RPT apron is separately arranged to serve Terminals 1 and 2 independently. The RPT apron is to continue to use the available space and expand southward as demand requires, continuing along the alignment of the existing terminal building and ultimately wrapping around the proposed southern terminal finger arrangement. The in-ground fuel hydrant system will expand southward with the RPT apron. Terminal Development Future expansion of the current terminal facility is planned to occur incrementally in a southwards direction in a form consistent with expanded apron facilities. The timing and staging is dependent upon future demand. The integrated international/domestic low cost carrier terminal model will be continued in an expanded and connected terminal by the retention of common facilities including check-in, security screening, baggage handling and departure lounges pre-international processing. The planning provides for expansion of the terminal to an area in excess of 80,000 square metres which will accommodate passenger growth well beyond the planning period. General Aviation The extent of the GA Precinct and its development potential are highly constrained, owing to its proximity to aircraft movement areas, which imposes clearance requirements and height limits. An additional GA taxiway is proposed to the northern end of the existing GA apron to improve efficiency and provide redundancy to the existing single taxiway. This taxiway will connect with a planned run-up bay. 18 Gold Coast Airport 2011 Master Plan
Non-Aviation Development For Gold Coast Airport, opportunities for non-aviation development are limited compared with many other airports, both in terms of the restricted land area devoted to them and the constrained range of functions considered by GCAPL to be appropriate for an on-airport location. In the 2001 and 2006 GCAPL Master Plans, a large section of the Terminal Precinct was designated for a proposed business park. However, in view of the recently experienced high rates of growth in aircraft and passenger movements, the addition of new routes and demands brought about by projections of future aviation needs, the business park proposal has been abandoned. Of the remaining land available for non-aviation activities, only a small proportion is vacant, mainly comprising the undeveloped part of the Southern Cross University campus. Within the next five-year period, any nonaviation development will generally only be able to rely on redevelopment of existing designated sites. In general, non-aviation land uses are limited to the Airport Central complex on the airport's Gold Coast Highway frontage, a small parcel of land on the eastern side of Eastern Avenue within the Terminal Precinct, and the Southern Cross University campus. There will also be possible future use of the Western Enterprise Precinct for non-aviation or aviationrelated purposes, although this is also unlikely to take place in this 2011 Master Plan's initial five-year period. Land available in the Airport Central complex on the airport's Gold Coast Highway frontage is effectively fully developed, allowing little scope for further floor space to be added though in time redevelopment of this site may occur. SCU currently holds a commercial tenancy at GCA within a lease area of 1.4 hectares, which is contemporaneous with the Airport Lease. Sensitive Development The 2011 Master Plan is required to identify any proposed sensitive development involved in the plan. The SCU campus is classified as a sensitive development, which is prohibited under recent amendments to the Airports Act except in exceptional circumstances. Development of the campus is well underway, and is to eventually consist of eight buildings plus a multi-level car park to be constructed in five stages, and with an ultimate gross building floor area of approximately 65,000 square metres and catering for about 6,000 students. Site area of the ultimate campus is approximately 5.1 hectares. Ground Transport Plan The passenger growth forecast for Gold Coast Airport during the next twenty years will require a significant increase in ground transport capacity. To respond to this, Gold Coast Airport has prepared a Ground Transport Plan which considers the road network, parking, public transport, pedestrian access and cycling ways. The primary consideration in developing the ground transport plan is to minimise pedestrian and traffic conflict points near the terminal face to mitigate traffic congestion. In addition to the traffic generated by aviation related activities, the forecast demand generated by non-aviation uses including the Airport Central commercial complex and the proposed Southern Cross University (a sensitive development) has been considered and included within the ground transport plan. A multi modal transit centre will be developed, comprising an at-grade light rail station, an elevated heavy rail station and a bus interchange, with direct walking access to the terminal, Southern Cross University and to commercial areas and direct traffic access from all directions. The multi modal transit facility will be developed in accordance with the planning principals of a Transit Orientated Development as identified in both the Queensland Infrastructure Plan: Building Tomorrow s Queensland November 2011 and the South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009-2031. This transport facility will function both as a local and regional transport hub attracting not only airport-related trips but also patrons from northern New South Wales accessing south east Queensland. It will be a key facility for bus light-rail and bus heavy-rail transfers as well as being a key transport access point for Southern Cross University. The ability for park and ride usage utilising the adjacent multi-level car park will be available with this transit facility. GCAPL has worked closely with the Queensland Government and Gold Coast City Council to provide a direct bus connection between the Gold Coast Airport and Southport. Patronage on route 702 (Southport to Gold Coast Airport) has increased by 117 per cent following the introduction of the extended service in 2009. Providing strong ground transport links from Gold Coast Airport is critical both for visiting tourists to easily access other areas of the Gold Coast and for the local community to use as part of an integrated public transport network. Within the next five years, the existing road infrastructure has generally sufficient capacity to accommodate forecast demand without the need for major upgrades. 19
The first stage of a new southern access point to the airport may be developed within the first five years of the planning period, depending on traffic demand and funding availability. Airspace Protection Obstacles in the vicinity of an airport, whether they are natural or constructed, may seriously limit the scope of aviation operations into and out of an airport. It is essential that off-airport land use planning take full account of obstacle protection implications and avoid planning decisions which may adversely affect air safety or efficiency of operations. While Gold Coast Airport has the ability to control onairport activities in terms of obstacle restrictions, off-airport development involves a number of other agencies. Statutory provisions requiring consideration of airspace protection exist in the planning instruments of both local authorities (Gold Coast City Council and Tweed Shire Council) within which the airport's airspace is situated. As well, there are established protocols with these two authorities which ensure that GCAPL is alerted to the lodgement of any development applications which may have airspace implications. In Queensland, this is supplemented by a similar cooperative relationship between GCAPL and the Department of Transport and Main Roads, which also has a regulatory role in airport-related matters in regard to airspace protection. GCAPL will continue to protect both the OLS (Obstacle Limitation Surface) and PANS-OPS surface (Procedures for Air Navigation Services Aircraft Operations) at Gold Coast Airport based on the ultimate 2,858 metre long runway, consistent with current and earlier Master Plans. This reflects the long-standing obstacle protection provision currently imposed through planning instruments for the surrounding local authorities, and is proposed to be continued. Aircraft Noise Gold Coast Airport Pty Ltd takes aircraft noise and noise management seriously. While aircraft flight paths and response to noise complaints is the responsibility of Airservices Australia, GCAPL has an established noise management strategy in place. The GCAPL noise management strategy is one of a coordinated approach with both government agencies and community representatives to provide a conduit for managing aircraft noise issues. GCAPL has a managed approach to responding to aircraft noise concerns including a specific noise forum, the Airport Noise Abatement Consultative Committee (ANACC). This forum has been in place for more than ten years and examines both technical and community concerns. GCAPL has also recently established a Community Aviation Consultation Group (CACG) to be the primary community forum to discuss airport activities. Local, state and federal government representatives, Airservices Australia representatives and airline representatives are invited to both the ANACC and the CACG to meet with the community and hear their concerns. CASA is also notified of the community forums. There have been a number of noise management initiatives proposed through the ANACC designed to improve noise exposure to built-up areas including: Trial of amended flight paths for southern departures has been conducted specifically as a result of the work done with the ANACC; Ensuring departures to the north remain compliant with Airservices Australia procedures ensuring that aircraft turn over water as soon as it is safe to do so ; Climb procedures to the south provide relief for the most densely populated areas surrounding the airport; Fly Neighbourly policy was developed by the GA Consultative Committee and supported by the ANACC and has been in place since 2006. The policy aims to have the industry self regulate to minimise the impact of General Aviation aircraft noise on surrounding areas. As part of the noise management strategy, GCAPL is committed to providing relevant information to the community and has comprehensive information on the website including: Key flight tracks to and from the airport; Australian Noise Exposure Forecast (ANEF) map; ANACC members, the areas they represent and their contact details; Information on aircraft noise complaints; Links to the Airservices Australia WebTrak system. 20 Gold Coast Airport 2011 Master Plan
The most effective way of managing aircraft noise impacts on properties within the vicinity of the airport is through the effective implementation of appropriate land use policies and acoustic standards for the areas close to the airport. This 2011 Master Plan details Gold Coast Airport s approach and initiatives to manage noise. As required under the Airports Act 1996, a 2031 ANEF has been produced for the purposes of the 2011 Master Plan. A 2009 ANEI has been produced which shows the actual noise exposure experienced in that year. The 2009 ANEI and 2031 ANEF contours indicate areas of the Gold Coast that are significantly affected by aircraft noise. The Australian Standard AS2021-2000 states that within the 20 contour, land is marginally acceptable for residential purposes (building authorities may specify that sound insulation measures are required for any new construction) and within the 25 contour residential land use is not acceptable although other uses (mainly commercial) are. It is noted that these provisions can be applied to any new development applications but they do not affect existing land uses. Relocation of Runway 32 Landing Threshold The effect of a 310 metre relocation of the runway 32 landing threshold, within the existing runway length, on the community will result in the 2031 ANEF 20 contour extending approximately 300 metres to the south (when compared to the same 2031 ANEF 20 contour of the current landing threshold location). An aircraft on a standard approach at any position along the flight path will be approximately 50 feet (approximately 15 metres) lower as a result of the proposed threshold relocation. At the southern extent of the 20 ANEF contour, arriving aircraft could be expected to overfly (on descent) at an altitude of approximately 930 feet (approximately 280 metres), the 50 feet (approximately 15 metres) difference is not expected to be easily discernable. The relocation of the threshold is required to cater for the forecast growth of the numbers of large aircraft operating into the airport. The larger aircraft will require the full operational length of the runway from both directions. GCAPL will work closely with Airservices Australia and consult extensively with the community through the GCA Community Aviation Consultation Group (CACG) and the Airport Noise Abatement Consultative Committee (ANACC). Environment GCAPL is charged with the task of providing efficient infrastructure to cater for the forecast aviation demand. This includes both aviation and non-aviation related development, ensuring GCAPL can continue to support the growth of aviation, ground transport and other infrastructure serving the region. In developing and operating the airport site, GCAPL is responsible for ensuring adverse impacts on both the local environment and also on broader environmental issues such as climate change are managed appropriately. Areas of environmental value, including cultural heritage sites and listed flora and fauna species and/or communities, have been indentified within Gold Coast Airport. Consistent with previous Airport Master Plan s, approximately 25 per cent of the airport lease known as the Cobaki Environment Precinct has been designated for conservation under the 2011 Master Plan. Due to the limited remaining land bank, and GCAPL s core function to ensure provision of infrastructure to cater for the forecast aviation demand, development of the airport to cater for this demand will ultimately result in impacts to areas of environmental value. This 2011 Master Plan details the potential environmental impacts associated with development and operation of Gold Coast Airport and outlines GCAPL s framework for the management of these impacts. Environmental aspects addressed include: Resource Use; Land; Surface Water and Groundwater; Biodiversity; Cultural Heritage; Air Quality; Ground-Based Noise; Hazardous Materials. Environmental requirements set out in the 2011 Master Plan apply to all relevant operators and activities on the airport including those undertaken by tenants and contractors. 21