Port Stephens Council Development Approvals

The Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Geoff Brown AO says he is disappointed with the decisions taken by the Port Stephens Council to provide exemptions to their planning rules which applies the Australian Standard 2021–2000 Acoustics - Aircraft Noise Intrusion - Building Siting and Construction.

Air Marshal Brown said Defence has undertaken extensive research to provide the best available information about aircraft noise.

“We have released the best available information about aircraft noise, and Port Stephens Council continues to provide exemptions to the Australian Standard, undermining all the work that Air Force is doing to reduce aircraft noise impacts,” Air Marshal Brown said.

“I acknowledge the amended layout for 153 Richardson Road means that the housing is in the ‘conditionally acceptable’ zone, however it will never be possible for home-owners to sound proof their backyards.

“The continuing trend by Port Stephens Council to provide exemptions for noise attenuation requirements, for residential development in the ‘conditionally acceptable’ ANEF zone such as Adastra Close, undermines the hard work we are doing to work with the community to reduce aircraft noise impacts,” Air Marshal Brown said.

New developments, inside the contours on the Australian Noise Exposure Forecast (ANEF) map that are deemed unsuitable by the relevant Australian Standards, will expose new home-owners to high levels of aircraft noise.

“Aircraft noise will never be eliminated. We will continue to work with the Williamtown community through our fly neighbourly policies, however our focus will be on working with existing home-owners.

“Home-owners that purchase these new developments are acquiring properties that will be exposed to high levels of aircraft noise both now with F/A-18A/B Hornets and F-35A in the future,” Air Marshal Brown said.

RAAF Base Williamtown is a strategic national asset providing vital training for the next generation of air combat aircraft.

See www.airforce.gov.au/development and www.defence.gov.au/aircraftnoise

Media Contact:
Defence Media Operations (02) 6127 1999