The Australian government has approved a third runway at Melbourne Airport.
The airport welcomed the news, saying it would deliver “much needed aviation infrastructure capacity for Victoria and help support thousands of new jobs”.
With the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government having approved the Major Development Plan for the project, detailed design and construction can now start.
The 3,000-metre-long runway will be built parallel and 1.3 kilometres to the west of the existing north-south runway. Construction work will also be carried out on new taxiways.
When it opens in 2031, the parallel runway system will significantly increase Melbourne Airport’s capacity by allowing for simultaneous take-offs and landings.
The length of an existing east-west runway will also be restored to “maximise opportunities for noise sharing”, the airport said.
Melbourne Airport Chief Executive Officer Lorie Argus said: “The new north-south runway will ensure Victoria’s primary international gateway has adequate capacity to serve the state’s needs for future generations. Sydney and Brisbane already operate parallel runway systems, so this will ensure that Melbourne does not become a handbrake on the national air network or the national economy.
“The new runway will require new flight paths, and as part of this project we will be facilitating noise attenuation for dwellings in the most impacted areas.
“The runway project will support 51,000 jobs in Victoria’s tourism, agriculture, education and other export industries, and will help add an additional $6 billion a year to the state economy.”
IMAGE: Melbourne Airport
