What about using Warnervale airstrip for drag racing?
As a secondary use only – to get racing off the streets?
That’s one of the suggestions for Warnervale airport on Council-under-administration’s interactive conversation about the future of the site.
You have only two more days to have your say on the draft masterplan; public comment closes on Tuesday, February 13.
Council says the masterplan details the potential development of land surrounding the aircraft landing area and “presents the Central Coast with a new economic sector that will stimulate employment and economic activity”.
The interactive map has attracted less than 20 main comments but some have generated a conversation thread and lots of thumbs up or thumbs down in response.
The drag racing comment attracted seven thumbs down and five thumbs up.
Other commenters talk about a future that the masterplan makes clear won’t happen: the runway will not be extended under this draft.
“The runway length cannot be extended as there are development approval barriers from the wetlands to the south and physical barriers including Sparks Road to the north of the runway,” the draft states.
Council is aiming to develop the airport into a general aviation hub which integrates aviation, technology, education, and business, and provides opportunities for interaction, collaboration, and alliances in the general aviation sector.
What does that mean exactly?
Not much as far as I can see. The masterplan has two stages.
Stage one is to upgrade the runway and surrounds.
Stage two shows land identified for “future investigation” for development.
But the actual implementation and timing of proposed developments will depend on “demand triggers, an assessment of forecast market conditions, commercial discussions, and approval processes”.
Not much more is said about stage two.
But in stage one, the draft plan would allow planes with maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) up to 10,000kg to use the space.
The runway is recommended to be widened from 10 metres to 23 metres, with the length remaining at 1200m.
“This will allow the airport to accommodate a wider array of aircraft up to an initial MTOW of 10,000 kg, including but not limited to commonly utilised aircraft such as Beech King Air, Cessna Citation and the Beechcraft 1900,” Council states.
Currently as a non-certified aerodrome, or aeroplane landing area (ALA), operations at Warnervale Airport are conducted at the discretion of pilots based on guidelines for aeroplanes with MTOW not exceeding 5,700kg.
“Whilst passenger services at CCA are not envisaged in the foreseeable future (for at least 10 years), it would be prudent to reserve land for this purpose,” the draft states.
“The Master Plan includes a site for this purpose on the west side of the runway.”
The landing strip is surrounded by land zoned C2, Porters Creek Wetlands.
The draft states that the objectives of the Environmental Conservation Zone (C2) are:
• To protect, manage and restore areas of high ecological, scientific, cultural or aesthetic values.
• To prevent development that could destroy, damage or otherwise have an adverse effect on those values.
““Airport” is a use that is prohibited in the Environmental Conservation Zone as it is not specified in item 2 or 3 of the zone provisions,” the draft states.
Elsewhere in the draft it states:
“The capacity of an airport to operate unencumbered is fundamentally dependent on what occurs on the land surrounding it.
“The erection of structures that physically intrude into the flight paths of arriving and departing aircraft can clearly limit or prevent use of the airport.
“So too can other developments that are less obvious.”
The draft listed the following examples:
• Residential developments adjacent to airports and under flight paths may lead to complaints about aircraft noise and eventually lead to the introduction of curfews or even the closure of an airport.
• Industrial activities that generate smoke or similar hazards may constrain use of an airport.
• Other activities such as agriculture, animal husbandry or wetland developments may attract birds and/or wildlife species and pose a hazard to aviation.
Read the masterplan: https://www.yourvoiceourcoast.com/…/draft_central_coast…
Central Coast Aero Club has posted an explanation for why there are no flight paths at Warnervale airport and why none are needed. Go here: https://www.facebook.com/ccaeroclub
Go here to add your thoughts to the interactive map on the airport’s future: https://centralcoastcouncil.mysocialpinpoint.com/…/cent…
Or email your thoughts to ask@centralcoast.nsw.gov.au
Public exhibition closes this coming Tuesday, Feb 13.
