This $50m park poses an unlikely threat to Sydney's new airport
Plans to build a $50 million urban park near Western Sydney Airport have sparked fears of strikes on low-flying aircraft due to a spike in bats and birds that could be drawn to the sprawling green space.
Western Sydney Airport officials have called for a range of wildlife management protocols to reduce risks from the park set to be built two kilometres from the airport's runway.
The two-hectare green space, approved by the NSW government in March, will be located on top of the future Bradfield metro station and feature at least 550 trees, wetlands and open green spaces for public events.
The Bradfield Development Authority (BDA), which is delivering the project, hopes the park will become an 'urban oasis' in the heart of Bradfield City Centre, which is projected to have a population of 3000 by 2036.
Western Sydney Airport officials have raised safety concerns over the increased risk of birds and bats coming into conflict with aircraft.
Bird strikes are commonplace in the aviation sector; Australian Transport Safety Bureau figures show 17,280 bird strikes have been reported at airports nationwide over the past 10 years.
Qantas and Virgin Australia have reported that multiple flights have been affected in recent months. A bird strike was also believed to have sparked flames in an engine of an Australia-bound Virgin flight from New Zealand last year.
Despite the high number of incidents, most bird strikes rarely damage an aircraft or cause injuries.
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