The Warnervale airport draft masterplan recommends widening the runway from 10 metres to 23 metres but keeping the length at 1200 metres.
This would allow the airport to accommodate a wider array of aircraft up to an initial maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 10,000 kg.
These include the four seat single engine Cessna 172; the eight seat Mahindra Airvans which is a utility aircraft designed for operations in the Australian Outback; two or four seater Piper PA-28 Warrior and the twin-turboprop Beechcraft Super King Air 200 which can seat maximum of 9 passengers.
The plan includes future provision for parallel taxiways on both sides of the runway to service existing and future aviation activities.
Passenger services are not envisaged in the foreseeable future but the plan says it would be prudent to reserve land for this purpose and includes a site on the west side of the runway.
The airport is currently uncertified, having a Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) classification of an Aircraft Landing Area (ALA). There is a single sealed runway orientated in the 02/20 direction and a parallel gravel taxiway.
The airport is currently used for General Aviation purposes, including for private and recreational flying, flight training and emergency services.
The airport is currently used for General Aviation purposes, including for private and recreational flying, flight training and emergency services.
It is home to the Central Coast Aero Club (CCAC), which has been active for more than 45 years at the site.
The draft is to be tabled at the final scheduled council-under-administration meeting on December 12.
If adopted by administrator Rik Hart, the draft will be publicly exhibited from December 14 until February 13, 2024, for community feedback.
The strategic objective is to develop the Central Coast Airport into a regional general aviation industry hub serving the Sydney, Central Coast and Hunter Regions.
The preferred scenario in the draft is based on
# land availability,
# financial feasibility,
# economic viability,
# land ownership and
# ecological constraints.
It is a roadmap for development of the airport precinct over the next 10 years.
“The draft masterplan allows for the opportunity to expand employment activities, encourage greater tourism and has been developed in consideration of the important ecological constraints surrounding the airport lands and Warnervale Employment Zone (WEZ),” Council says.
Public consultation
The public consultation has two focus areas;
1. The broader community
This will present the community with potential benefits and considerations for developing the airport into an Aviation Hub.
2. The general aviation community
An aviation consultation process is to be conducted at the same time, undertaken by an independent commercial advisory specialist.
“The purpose of the market sounding will provide greater certainty to the level, type and indicative timing of interest by suitable commercial operators,” Council says.
“This will inform the potential to take up appropriately zoned land in the airport precinct to undertake aviation related activities.”
These commercial activities may include hangarage, aircraft maintenance, charter operations, pilot training, aircraft sales and leasing, airport-related intermodal logistics, research and development.
What comes after the latest consultation
“Should Council resolve to adopt a masterplan for the Central Coast Airport, following public exhibition, there are risks that the proposed airport expansion activities are unable to be funded,” Council says.
Before finalising the masterplan, a detailed business plan would identify the costs and potential funding sources.
“These will likely include private sector investment for general aviation facilities as well as investment by Council and other levels of government (through grant funding) for airport infrastructure,” Council says.
The airport is on 44 hectares on the south-west side of Sparks Road and west side of Jack Grant Avenue, in Warnervale.
The surrounding land largely falls into one of two land use categories: either general industrial or environmental conservation.
“However, the majority of the surrounding land is zoned for environmental conservation and comprises substantial areas of existing trees and other vegetation,” the masterplan states.
The nearest residential area is more than 1 kilometre from the airport site, the masterplan states.
The 53 page masterplan can be found on the council website.
