Dublin airport to get new runway

Fingal County Council has given the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) permission to build a new €150 million runway at Dublin airport, despite strong opposition from local residents.

The DAA were last night informed that they had been granted planning permission for the 3,110-metre runway, subject to a number of conditions including a €21 million levy for roads and infrastructure.

The runway, which will be located 1.6km north of and parallel to the airport's existing main runway is due for completion by 2012 and is necessary to increase capacity at the airport from the current 18.5 million to 30 million passengers per annum. It could also accommodate the new long-haul Airbus 380 aircraft, which are too large for the existing runway.

The runway's construction is a crucial component of the airport's expansion under the Draft Airport Masterplan released for public consultation last week by the county council.

The DAA first applied for planning permission for the second principal runway in December 2004, however, their application has twice been returned by Fingal planners seeking substantial additional information and clarification on that information.

The planners had told the DAA that they had not sufficiently made the case for the new runway and that the additional information given was "insufficient and inadequate". They also said the DAA had not properly addressed the traffic implications of the development.

The most recent submission made by the DAA to the council has secured their planning permission however, it is understood there are almost 40 conditions attaching to the permission.

Regardless of what constraints and conditions are placed on the DAA, campaigners against the runway say they will still oppose its construction.

"The flightpath will be directly over Portmarnock and will have a serious affect on people's health and enjoyment of life," Matt Harley of Uproar (United Portmarnock Residents Opposing Another Runway) said.

Uproar would continue to oppose the runway and intends to submit an objection to the planning permission to An Bord Pleanála.