Construction impacts

Reducing the impact

Good planning will minimise the impact of the airport's construction.

Construction activities for the Stage 1 development are happening in three major work phases: 

• Site preparation works, including securing the construction impact zone, establishing site services and construction facilities, clearing vegetation and undertaking major earthworks.
• Aviation infrastructure works, including construction of the runway, taxiways, apron areas, internal road network, the terminal complex, air traffic control tower, freight, cargo and maintenance facilities, and fuel farm.
• Site commissioning activities at the completion of the aviation infrastructure works, involving testing and commissioning of all facilities in readiness for the operation of the airport.

Earthworks

The development of Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport requires significant earthmoving works. The airport site needs to be levelled. To do this, earth removed from the higher areas of the site will be used to fill the lower areas. This means earthworks will require minimal transport of materials to and from the airport site, reducing the construction impact on surrounding communities.

The bulk earthworks are almost complete, which will see more than 25 million cubic metres of soil levelled and redistributed across the construction zone, covering about 60 per cent of the airport site or approximately 1,000 hectares. By comparison, the nearby M7 Motorway (41 km in length) required 7 million cubic metres of earthworks.

For information on environmental impacts of construction, see environment and heritage.