Background
Jandakot Airport is the main general aviation airport in Perth. The airport operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is vital to the local and regional economy of Western Australia. It provides facilities for tourism, pilot and aviation training, general aviation, services to resource and pastoral sectors and important emergency services such as the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Police Air Wing, RAC Rescue Helicopter and WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services bushfire response.
The Jandakot Airport Master Plan 2020 provides for the development of the airport, considering aviation operations, the environment, non-aviation land use, services infrastructure and ground transport. It anticipates the area to employ an additional 2,028 people, generate around 452 full time annual equivalent jobs in the construction industry. The Master Plan scenario projects a workforce of approximately 8,050 employees at the Airport, including all aviation and non-aviation related land uses.
Jandakot Eastern Link Road alignment
Opportunities to improve road access between Jandakot and the surrounding south-eastern metropolitan area have been under investigation for a number of years. Between 2010 and 2015, in collaboration with key relevant agencies, the Department undertook a traffic study, an alignment options study, a road definition study and an environmental impact assessment. The Jandakot Eastern Link Road (JELR) alignment was the preferred option as it provided better outcomes for environmental, social and economic criteria.
Metropolitan Region Scheme Amendment
A Metropolitan Region Scheme Amendment (MRS) was initiated in late 2016 to protect the JELR as an Other Regional Roads reserve between the Jandakot Airport eastern boundary and Ranford Road.
Jandakot Eastern Link Road MRS amendment 1312/57 was advertised for a period of 60 days between Tuesday 4 October 2016 and Friday 9 December 2016. The Western Australian Planning Commission considered the submissions and recommended to the then Minister for Planning that the amendment be progressed in a modified form.
The amendment was gazetted on 11 July 2017.
What's next?
The JELR reserve has been protected in the MRS and is available for implementation. Its first 200m has recently been constructed by the State Government as part of the Thornlie to Cockburn Link project.
