Ballarat's airport will soon have a longer runway and potentially the capacity for different types of aircraft after the federal government committed $5 million for upgrades.
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The City of Ballarat has called for funding to lengthen the runway for years, to encourage use of the airport as an emergency services hub and potentially attract passenger aircraft, as well as freight services connecting to the Ballarat West Employment Zone.
Council's application through the federal government's Regional Airports Program was successful - the $5 million will be matched in-kind by council in the 2021 budget, following a unanimous vote in December last year.
The Ballarat Airport Runway Upgrade Stage 1 project is for runway works and will provide essential ongoing access for emergency, RPT (passenger) and freight air services into the future, according to the federal government.
The total $10 million will allow for a 700m extension of the north-south runway to the south, as well as strengthening work.
Projects funded under the first round of the Regional Airports Program must be completed by June 30, 2022.
Victorian Senator Sarah Henderson said it was a "massive win for the community".
"This $5 million commitment will provide a much needed boost to the Ballarat economy and increase Ballarat's access to the domestic and international markets and tourists " she said.
"This will support jobs and regional infrastructure and could not come at a more important time."
The Regional Airports Program is a competitive, merit-based grants program, for which proponents submitted applications to receive funding - the first round is $45 million.
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The City of Ballarat applied for the funding through a public application round and submitted a project works plan and budget, which was assessed by the AusIndustry Grants Hub and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications against the program's criteria.
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