30 January 2024

This is HRG’s submission: https://homebush.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Flight-paths_submission.pdf.

16 January 2024 (answered most of the supplementary questions)

www.airservicesaustralia.com  and  DITRDCA, via their global consultant, provided some answers to out supplementary questions which will be the basis of HRG’s submission: https://homebush.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/QA-SYD-flightpaths.pdf

HRG members are encouraged to lodge their own submissions, even if it just references support to HRG’s submission.

21 December 2023 (after information session)

www.airservicesaustralia.com  and  DITRDCA, via their global consultant, provided the following answers our 12 December 2023 questions: https://homebush.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/QA-SYD-flightpaths.pdf

There are supplementary questions we have, particularly where they have just referred us to slabs of verbiage and not distilled their own data to a single figure.

12 December 2023

Background:

  • currently, from local observations, it appears that Homebush Public School would experience about one (1) noisy overhead flyover a day from Sydney Airport (SYD); and,
  • prospectively, there will be new flight paths for SYD flights once Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) opens that affect Homebush, while WSI flights will have no impact.

Some questions posed at the public information session, and DITRDCA answers (when available):

  1. Currently, are there, on average, 900 daily departures from SYD?
  2. Currently, on average how many flights pass over Homebush Public School each day?
  3. Currently, what has been the maximum number of flights over Homebush Public School on a day over the last 5 years?
  4. Currently, what is the average dB from flyovers at Homebush Public School at ground level?
  5. Currently, what is the maximum dB from flyovers at Homebush Public School at ground level?
  6. Currently, on average how many flights pass over Marrickville each day?
  7. Currently, what has been the maximum number of flights over Marrickville on a day over the last 5 years?
  8. Currently, what is the average dB from flyovers in Marrickville ground level?
  9. Currently, what is the maximum dB from flyovers in Marrickville at ground level?
  10. How many years of meteorological data have you used in your flight path planning?
  11. Do the future flight paths from SYD planning assume changes to meteorological forecasts?  E.g. more days of westerly winds, higher temperatures?
  12. Prospectively, what will be the average number of flights leaving SYD once WSI is opened and new flight paths are used?
  13. We have been told that 4% of prospective flights that leave SYD under the new arrangements will fly over Homebush Public School, is this correct?
  14. Prospectively, Is the average daily number of flights over Homebush Public School 900??×0.04=36?
  15. Prospectively, given forecast airline schedules and meteorological conditions, and there may be days when there would be no flights over Homebush Public School, what is the maximum number of flights that are expected to pass over Homebush Public School on any given day?
  16. Prospectively, on average what is the noise expected at ground level (dB) at Homebush Public School due to aircraft flying over on the new flight paths, and what is that equivalent to (e.g. a passing truck)?
  17. Prospectively, what is the maximum noise expected at ground level (dB) at Homebush Public School due aircraft flying over on the new flight paths, and what is that equivalent to (e.g. a chainsaw next door)?
  18. If the new flight paths for SYD are ostensibly about safety when WSI opens, why are the new SYD flight paths (eastern departures) being moved west and closer to WSI?
  19. If the new flight paths for SYD is about shifting noise to other areas, how is that equitable when people bought properties at a discount knowing about the noise (say, in Grayndler) and others bought properties of at a premium because there wasn’t noise from SYD or the proposed WSI (say, in Reid)?
  20. Homes and schools in Grayndler received sound insulation, will those in Reid get sound insulation?
  21. Given the following schools, how do you rank the impact of the new flight paths from bad to worst?
    1. Homebush Public School
    2. Marie Bashir Public School
    3. Homebush West Public School
    4. Meriden School
    5. Santa Sabina College
    6. Trinity College Prep school
    7. Homebush Boys High School
    8. Strathfield Girls High School
    9. St Patrick’s College

6 December 2023

Here is the response we got from someone’s secretary at council:

“Thank you for making contact in relation to the proposed flight paths changes for the new Western Sydney Airport and facilitated changes to the existing Sydney Airport.

Councillors have been provided with a presentation by representatives of the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts (DITRDCA) who provided an overview of the proposed flight paths for both Western Sydney Airport and changes to flight paths for Sydney Airport. The flight paths for Western Sydney Airport will have very little to no impact upon Strathfield, and flights to this airport simply do not pass over Strathfield.
However, changes to the Sydney Airport will mean that there are minor changes to existing flights paths passing over areas of Homebush and Strathfield. Also, a more significant change to departure flight path from Runway 25 which will increase the number of aircraft passing over the southern portion of Strathfield. We are told that runway 25 is not frequently used and accounts for just 4% of the total aircraft movements at the airport. The changes proposed to the flight paths largely follow existing flight paths used by the airport.
All of the documents, mapping and public information associated with the Western Sydney Airport Preliminary EIS can be accessed via the following link: https://www.wsiflightpaths.gov.au/
I would encourage you to make a submission to DITRDCA and raise your concerns directly to them.
Council will be considering our own submission at our meeting of the 5th   of December 2023. You might like to access the agenda item and consider the points raised. Certainly, a point that will be raised with the Department is a clearer analysis of the existing aircraft noise events passing over Strathfield and any increase or changes to the level of noise exposure experienced by residents as a result of the changes. This is something that we feel is lacking in the assessment provided in the EIS documents.
I trust that this gives you some guidance and consideration of the matter.”
HRG would note:
  • we get told about the council meeting the day after it occurs;
  • 4% of the traffic doesn’t sound like much, but that is an average…there are about 900 movements a day, so we will average 36 flyovers a day,  however, some days it will be zero and so that means some days it could be +100; and,
  • do paragraphs 2 and 3 read like spin to you?

23 November 2023

Cr. Karen Pensabene, Mayor of Strathfield, said today, “noise impacts from the new air routes seem to be very little for…Homebush.”  What?

HRG wrote to the mayor, other councillors, and the members for Strathfield and Reid, “To have a sensible discussion on this issue we need some agreed facts.  I’ve attached website screenshot showing the new flight paths from Sydney Airport: 80 movements. Anyone who lives near the library in Homebush would know that we do not get anything like 80 flights on the very occasional days we get aircraft overhead.

Can you point me to the website pages which you say evinces there is very little noise impact, please?

It is also worth noting that the surrounding state and federal electorates get an information/feedback session, but Strathfield/Reid doesn’t!”

We look forward to hearing from the mayor!

 

20 November 2023

Lower House Member for Strathfield (Jason Yat-sen Li) staffer was directed to this website page, with the observation that no elected representative should be sanguine about the issue given the proposed impact.

 

18 November 2023 (answered or t.b.a.)

Q& A with Sally Sitou, Member for Reid.

Question: what is the maximum number of  flights to/from SYD which pass over Homebush village today, and how many could pass under the proposed SYD flight paths

Answer: t.b.a.

Question: if the new flight paths for SYD are ostensibly about safety when WSI opens, why are the new SYD flight paths (eastern departures) being moved west and closer to WSI?

Answer: t.b.a.

Question: if the new flight paths for SYD is about shifting noise to other areas, how is that equitable when people bought properties at a discount knowing about the noise (say, in Grayndler) and others bought properties of at a premium because there wasn’t noise from SYD or the proposed WSI (say, in Reid)?

Answer: t.b.a.

Question: Homes and schools in Grayndler received sound insulation, will those in Reid get sound insulation?

Answer: tba

Question: All the electorates between SYD and WSI, except Reid, are having information and feedback sessions with the government, so why isn’t Reid?

Answer (received 6 December 2023):

  • “In her capacity as the Federal Member for Reid, Sally is aware of the concerns held by residents in light of these proposed changes and the need for consultation to take place. After fighting hard for residents to receive further information about these changes and an opportunity to relay their concerns, Sally is happy to say that the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts will be hosting an information evening in the electorate. The details are as follows:Date: Tuesday 12 December 2023
    Time: 4pm-7pm AEDT
    Location: Strathfield Sports Club, 19 Morwick Street, Strathfield NSW 2135
    RSVP link: Strathfield Community Information and Feedback Session – Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport Airspace and Flight Path Design | HumanitixThis event will give you the opportunity to raise your concerns and have your questions answered in detailed, specifically as I note your concerns around aircraft noise.”

17 November 2023

More maps showing noise levels.

You can see our “share” of the aircraft noise. The red (landing) flight paths don’t really affect us, and it’s the green (takeoff) flight path going northwest towards Olympic Park from the left hand main runway that will affect us. What’s interesting is that this path was used a lot during the pandemic, rising even to about 20% of the noise in early 2021, but this year it’s been used about 0% (of noise anyway).

We need some information about the before and after in these terms. What is the actual effect of concentrating the flight paths in this direction over our backyard? Are we heading back to 20% of the noise or is it more like going from 1% to 2%?

Maybe Sally Sitou can help answer the question?

14 November 2023

Western Sydney Airport will increase air traffic over the greater Sydney region, so there will be newer flight paths for Sydney Airport.

Ostensibly, one of the reasons reported for the new flight paths for Sydney Kingsford Smith airport (SYD) is to improve the safety once Western Sydney’s Nancy-Bird Walton (WSI) airport opens. Unbelievably, SYD flight paths are being moved closer to WSI in the name of safety!

The issue was raised with Sally Sitou, Federal Member for Reid soon after newspaper reports. She seemed genuinely unaware of the significant increase in traffic over Homebush (from virtually nothing) from SYD and suggested a website where residents can plug in you address and see what she thought were trivial changes.  Make sure you click on the “Show Sydney and Bankstown Airport Changes” tab to see how your home is impacted.

The beneficiaries of the changes to SYD flight paths are the residents of the Federal electorate of Grayndler (yes, Mr Albanese’s seat). People bought in Grayndler knowing it was under a flight path (as this author did in 1983), but people bought in Homebush because it had minimum aircraft noise and was far away from the proposed WSI.

Aircraft noise is a going to be a big issue for local amenity and property prices: shown website Ms Sitou recommended.  While other electorates are having an information and feedback sessions, there isn’t one in the electorate of Reid.

Ms Sitou is having a “Homebush Mobile Office” from 11am to noon on Saturday, 18 November 2023 at 41 Rochester Street (Cafe Tabouli) to “chat about any federal or local issues.”

If you think your property is going to be effected, maybe you should attend and suggest SYD flight paths aren’t moved closer to the WSI airport.

13 November 2023 

Member for Reid (Sally Sitou) was made aware that houses, and schools, under the current Sydney Airport flight paths were insulated after lobbying by the Member for Grayndler (Albo).  It was suggested by a Reid resident “the (current) flight paths shouldn’t be changed at all – homes and schools under the current flight path are already insulated and can handle the current amount of traffic… it shouldn’t just be dumped on us without any mitigation measures.”

26 October 2023

Local representatives for Strathfield (Jason Yat-sen Li) and Reid (Sally Sitou) were alerted of the proposal to move Sydney Airport flight paths towards Western Sydney Airport, and over Homebush ruining the amenity of the area and lowering property prices.

24 October 2023

First time we heard about plane flying over Homebush: https://www.wsiflightpaths.gov.au/pdf-documents/WSI-facilitated-impacts-brochure-oct-23.pdf.  Page 4 spells out the changes that will directly impact us. It’s mostly the “departures to the east” that will shift to us – and make no sense whatsoever because we are west of Sydney Airport and that would mean flying closer to Western Sydney Airport, which decreases safety!