Council has sought again to have the Katoomba Airfield transferred into the care of National Parks.
At its meeting last week, councillors voted to write to the environment minister, Matt Kean, urging him to honour previous undertakings by several government agencies.
The land has long been earmarked to be incorporated into the NSW National Park reserve system, dating back to the 1960s, when the then department of lands committed to including the site tino the national park when the lease expired in 1988.
The then department of land and water conservation recognised that position in March 2000, according to a report presented to council.
"This position has been confirmed and reiterated by relevant agencies in the intervening years," the report said, noting that council had adopted the same position in 1999 and reinforced it with resolutions in 2008 and 2019.
A long-term lease for commercial use of the airfield was rejected by the state government in January 2020. But applicants, FlyBlue, complained about the process and a review was ordered.
A spokesman for the department of planning, industry and environment recently told the Gazette that the airfield is zoned environmental management under the Blue Mountains LEP 2015, which does not permit an airport or heliport.
"As a result, FlyBlue has been asked to provide information to show it can meet the requirements of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 - for example, by way of existing use rights - before its amended lease application will be determined," he said.
The Blue Mountains Greens welcomed council's resolution.
Greens' candidate for Ward 1, Sarah Redshaw, said: "Developing Katoomba Airfield should be off the cards. Our community was clear: we don't want increased air traffic, we don't want this land developed.
"The proposal will harm the surrounding bushland, and the helicopters flying above our villages will negatively impact Blackheath and Medlow Bath residents. Tourists don't come to our City in a World Heritage Area to bushwalk with helicopters buzzing above them -- this proposal just doesn't suit our community."
The party has launched a petition at https://greensoncouncil.org.au/say-no-to-leasing-katoomba-airfield/.
