Wayne Willmington reports “The Forum On Western Sydney Airport (FOWSA) links the community and stakeholders with the Australian Government and the Western Sydney Airport Co Limited (WSA Co).
“Our first meeting was held on Friday 26 May 2017 and I have since attended all meetings.
“Now, with the Airport construction coming to an end, the last FOWSA meeting will be held in June this year.
“On Friday the 21st Feb, the latest FOWSA meeting, our members were given a full tour of the new Airport Terminal.”
FOWSA connects the community, the Government and Western Sydney Airport company (the airport operator) during the planning and development of Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport. The establishment of FOWSA was a key condition in the Western Sydney Airport Plan. By engaging the community early in the development of the airport, FOWSA ensured the community’s views were and are being taken into account.
Photos supplied by Wayne Willmington.
Background on FOWSA: The Western Sydney Airport Plan authorises the construction and operation of Stage 1 of the airport, including a single 3.7 km runway and a terminal with capacity for 10 million passengers a year. Airport construction started in September 2018. Airport Plan conditions are mandatory and mean that the Commonwealth must deliver the airspace and flight path design for single runway operations before airport operations commence in 2026. Condition 16(2) requires the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (the Department) to: “establish a community and stakeholder reference group (FOWSA) which will operate until the end of the detailed design stage… [of the airspace and flight path design process].” A key objective of FOWSA is to ensure the views of the community are taken into account throughout the airspace and flight path design process for the Stage 1 airport development. FOWSA will also allow the community, local authorities, airport users and other interested parties to be informed about a range of issues relating to the broader planning and development of the airport, including maximising the economic and social benefits of the project for Western Sydney. An aviation Expert Steering Group, led by the Department, is overseeing the detailed planning and design process for the airport’s airspace arrangements and flight paths. Other members of the steering group include Airservices Australia, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the airport operator. FOWSA and the Expert Steering Group are working collaboratively to deliver an informed and community-consulted airspace and flight path design for Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport. The airspace and flight path design process is a complex technical task that is being conducted over several years. The terms of reference developed for FOWSA set out the objectives of the forum, the membership structure, the roles of the independent Chair and members, other administrative details and reporting requirements. The terms of reference, Western Sydney Airport Environmental Impact Statement (2016) and the Airport Plan are available at www.westernsydneyairport.gov.au.
Resourcing and administrative support FOWSA meets at least three times each year in Western Sydney. The secretariat is provided by the Department.
