THE federal government's decision to fund a $66 million upgrade of the Newcastle Airport runway to international standard could literally be the takeoff moment for a serious and decades-long phase of industrial and commercial development at Williamtown.
The first and most obvious benefit of the upgrade - as far as Newcastle Airport and the region's air travellers are concerned - is the ability it gives the Hunter to host international passenger flights.
Just as importantly, in the long run, is the impetus the runway upgrade and the associated growth of Newcastle Airport's passenger and cargo traffic should provide for the large-scale development of nearby land into oft-promised "aerospace precincts".
Admittedly in their early stages, land acquisition represents a rare opportunity for at least some of the residents impacted by PFAS contamination to obtain a hopefully reasonable price for their properties and to start again somewhere else.
Putting the PFAS imperative to one side, airports - no matter where they are - tend to attract industrial and commercial development.
This was the thinking 20 years ago behind the push for an international airport on Kooragang Island, when the proponents pointed to the way that Manchester Airport's expansion propelled that city ahead of its formerly larger rival, Liverpool.
Now, an international standard runway promises similar development and employment opportunities at Williamtown.
It needs to be remembered, however, that Williamtown is first and foremost a RAAF base, and a very important one at that.
The $66 million widening project will be done at the same time as the RAAF spends an estimated $120 million on base works for its F/A-18 Joint Strike Fighter jets.
This co-operation between the RAAF and its commercial tenant, the airport, is welcome news, but the RAAF has made it repeatedly clear that military needs will always take precedence.
While most military airfields are stand-alone installations, joint-use airports are not unknown: Singapore's Changi international airport is one example, while the United States has more than 20 military airports allowing commercial flights.
With careful planning and oversight, both aspects of Williamtown can prosper, and with various community benefits.
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