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Airport din could affect new homes

Frequent flyer: Airport noise could affect new homes at Rosehill. Picture: Geoffrey Thomas/The West Australian

Future residents of the proposed Rosehill golf course redevelopment just north of Perth Airport will have to endure more than 200 sleep-interrupting flights a day, according to noise assessments obtained by The West Australian.

The Western Australian Planning Commission is looking to rezone the golf course from rural to urban, giving the green light for an estate of 800 properties just 2km from the major runway.

However an investigation by The West Australian has found that on May 8, 2012, the State Government signed off on a ban on rezoning rural land near airports to urban to protect "the importance of them to national, state, territory and local economics and transport networks".

In February 2012, the National AirportsSafeguarding Advisory Group, set up by the Council of Australian Governments, said that "over the long-term, inappropriate development around airports can result in unnecessary constraints on airport operations and negative impacts on community amenity".

MP CALLS FOR NOISE INSULATION SCHEME

The advisory group also warned the current Australian Noise Exposure Forecast System did not capture all high-noise affected areas around an airport.

A more recognised - and easier to understand - measure of noise according to NASAG is decibels, with 60 decibels affecting sleep and 70 decibels stopping conversation.

A decibel map shows the midpoint 65 decibel contour for Perth Airport cuts across the golf club.

Although people who bought into the proposed estate would do so on the understanding there was aircraft noise, and that would be on the title, there was industry concern they would not appreciate the extent of the impact over time.

These residents would not be entitled to any future insulation program.

South Guildford Action Group spokesman John Squire said the zoning laws were there to protect local communities.

"If the Rosehill golf course is rezoned from rural to urban it will set a dangerous precedent for Government," Mr Squire said.