Gold Coast Airport Expansion Sparks Fears for Endangered Plants, Animals

Gold Coast Airport says it is considering ways to protect endangered plants and animals in the path of its expansion.

The airport is looking at a AU$200 million upgrade ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

However, a Tweed Shire Council report said the move would affect endangered plants and animals, including the common planigale

The council's planning director, Vince Connell, said the proposal should go ahead after plants and wildlife around the site were accommodated.

"We are seeking from the airport just to put a bit more time into the assessment of the fauna and flora," he said.

He said the airport needed to compensate for the areas lost to the expansion.

"Whether it be on the site itself or in other sites to recognise that there is going to be a loss of important vegetation," he said.

Gold Coast Airport's chief operating officer, David Collins, said a strategy was being put in place to mitigate the impacts on surrounding areas.