"Being someone who likes a bit of evidence, I looked for it but couldn't find it," Professor Hansen said.

"There's no evidence for the projections of 300,000 passengers by 2043 (there were 61,000 in 2019), that's a fivefold increase over 20 years and would require serious growth every five years," she said.

"Every airport wants more passengers, more business and more revenue but there is a difference between reality and dreaming. In addition, the commercial airlines decide the type of aircraft, frequency of service and cost of the airfare and not the council," Professor Hansen said in relation to comments in the plan about larger aircraft and cheaper services.

Professor Hansen believed work should have been carried out to compare Merimbula Airport with other regional airports, looking at what facilities were important, how other airports had grown and what was instrumental in that growth.

"For a master plan that seeks to remove existing businesses such as the Merimbula Aircraft Maintenance business and, encourage larger aircraft, a more evidence based and comparative analysis of regional airports is not only warranted but underpins the legitimacy and relevance of such a plan. There is no comparative information referred to in this document nor is there a discussion about whether the airport will outgrow its current constrained site, and if so, where is plan B if this occurs."

The question of what plan B might be was also raised by ex-mayor and ex-councillor Michael Britten who said the section in the plan relating to climate change made no reference to sea level rise and surge.

He said both had been mentioned in the Merimbula Lake Flood Study.

"Council has a report in 2012 by Worley Parsons that predicted the airport could be underwater by 2035," Mr Britten said.

There is also concern that with larger aircraft and even the possibility of jets being talked about, came excessive noise which would certainly impact residents and tourists on Fishpen.

"The nature and extent of amenity impacts in terms of noise levels and increased frequency of noise as well as light control impacts on established urban areas is unacceptable," Professor Hansen said.

She cited a lack of an Operational Noise Management Plan and said it was concerning that council was seeking approval of a master plan for the airport without addressing the management aspects of noise and light controls beforehand.

She said it was vital that face to face consultation with residents took place about the noise and safety implications of the airport. Putting information on social media or council's own website could not be considered consultation, she said.

Professor Hansen questioned the car parking figures which suggested between 400 and 470 public parking spaces could be available with scope for another 200-250 parking spaces.

She said there was no data to support a potential total of up to 720 car parking spaces to service what was a relatively small regional airport.

"Is this a revenue generating solution for council or is it based on hard facts about supply and demand," she asked.

Professor Hansen is concerned that council as the owner, operator and proponent of the master plan, should not make the final decision on it because it also benefits financially.

She said the draft plan lacked credible evidence based data to justify the future capacity, size and layout.

She believed the loss of the aircraft maintenance function was unwarranted, unnecessary and was likely to adversely impact on the economic return for the airport if itinerant and small aircraft users vacate the airport because there is no on-site maintenance facility.

"The passenger and aircraft projections are fanciful and again lack plausible evidence, the parking requirements are excessive and also unsubstantiated and a single entry/exit point from Arthur Kaine Road for 400 to over 700 vehicles that can be parked in the precinct is not only dangerous but a cause of congestion."

The Merimbula Airport Master Plan is on exhibition until March 17 and can be accessed via council's Have Your Say page.