Airport city developments in Australia Land use classification and analyses

In recent years the Australian air transport industry has experienced unprecedented growth, driven by strong local and global economies. Whether this growth can continue in the face of anticipated oil crises and slowing international economic forecasts is yet to be seen. One thing is certain, airport owners and operators will continue to be faced with a challenging environment in which to do business. In response to these challenges, many airports are diversifying their revenue streamsthrough landside property developments within the airport boundary. This phenomenon is recognised as the development of an ‘airport city’ and has the potential to ensure an airport’s operating future, by means of improving an airport’s profitability making it less susceptible to any downturns in the aviation industry. Between 1997 and 2002 twenty-two of Australia’s major airports were privatised under a 99 year lease arrangement with the Australian federal government. Theseleases have given control of all airport development to the lessee, with negligible regard to the planning intent of hinterland municipalities (providing the development complies with the Airports Act 1996). It is evident that Australia’s airport city developments are in part focused on the provision of retail and commercial services for the surrounding population outside of any aeronautical function. It is has been argued that these new developments have the capacity to impact the character and progress of local and municipal retail and commercial centres.The primary purpose of this paper is to identify and categorise the on-airport development which has been occurring at the twenty-two Australian airports which are administered under the Airports Act 1996. The significance of this research is that it will quantify and compare the land area available for landside property development within these airports utilising a common nomenclature. This will allow for comparative analyses across airport type (Regular Passenger Transport (RPT), General Aviation (GA) and Pilot Training (PT)) in relation to the extent and range of development, in addition to allowing airport development intent to be reviewed in consideration of an airports passenger numbers and aircraft movements. This research will assist Australian and international airport and municipal planners in understanding the current extent and category of on-airport land use, allowing them to make better decisions when proposing development both within airport master plans and beyond the airport boundary in local town and municipal plans