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RELATED: Business taken to new heights
THE Victorian government has given the go-ahead for a $15 million expansion of the Bendigo Airport.
Bendigo Mayor Peter Cox said the expansion, which will include construction of a 1.6 kilometre runway, would allow the airport to carry planes with up to 70 passengers.
He said the airport would bring an estimated economic benefit of $34.9 million to the region and create 84 full-time equivalent jobs.
"The airport is a high priority for the council and this project is about further growing Greater Bendigo's economic base by providing better and faster access to the rest of Victoria and the nation,” Councillor Cox said.
"It will result in more jobs for the region as business owners realise the potential a new runway provides for expansion. It will also ensure that emergency services can retain their operations at the airport.”
Bendigo Business Council chief executive officer Leah Sertori said the approval was a boon for local businesses.
“It increases confidence for some of our larger manufacturers and our large professional service firms that operating out of Bendigo is no disadvantage,” she said.
“Before we had a commitment to the airport expansion, there was a question mark on how these companies could get their products quickly to customers.”
The airport expansion would also allow international trade delegations to Melbourne to include Bendigo on their itineraries, she said.
Motherson Elastomers general manager Gordon Hardcastle said the approval was fantastic news for Bendigo businesses.
“It’s important that we make the best use of our time and driving back and forth to Melbourne is not the best use of our time,” he said.
“It’s also so important to be able to get our customers here quickly and easily.
“Everyone’s time is so precious these days so getting our engineers out and getting customers in and out is absolutely fundamental.
“I’m so pleased to hear this project is finally over the line.”
A survey of several large Bendigo businesses found air passenger numbers were on track to increase from the current level of 40,560 to 57,400 in the next 15 years.
Twelve hectares of land adjacent to the airfield have been earmarked for an airport business park.
Bendigo council approved the amendment needed to build the airport expansion in May.