Dublin Airport: Delay in night flights planning decision due to ‘lack of information’, Bord Pleanála warns

An Bord Pleanála has warned of further delays in a major planning row over Dublin airport night flights, saying it “cannot process” the appeal because of a lack of information from the airport operator.

In a case seen as critical for the future of Ireland’s main aviation hub, the planning body said it sought additional information in April from the State-owned Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) but has not received any for four months.

The DAA, which recently complained about being “frustrated by a complex and protracted” planning system, is now likely to submit the information by a mid-September deadline. “As is the norm in such complex matters, requests for information have been received, are being processed and will be sent to An Bord Pleanála shortly in line with mutually agreed timelines,” the DAA said.

Responding to questions from The Irish Times, An Bord Pleanála made it clear that an early decision was unlikely.

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“It should also be noted that while it is not possible until that information is received for the board to take a view on the extent of further consultation and other statutory processes that will be necessary, given the nature of the appeal it is likely some time will be required both for any legislatively-mandated additional public consultation and for the necessary analysis to be completed by the board’s inspector before a decision can be reached by the board,” it said.

That statement comes one year after the DAA sought An Bord Pleanála’s approval for new “noise abatement” measures, prompting several appeals from local residents and environmentalists.

The aim of the DAA’s “relevant action” case is to change night-flight restrictions imposed with planning approval for a second airport runway, which opened last August. Residents in north Co Dublin have made numerous noise complaints since the new runway opened after unexpectedly finding their homes were under the flight path.

The case before An Bord Pleanála is crucial for the airport after Fingal County Council moved this month to compel the DAA to cut the number of night flights within six weeks. Although the Fingal authority ruled the DAA violated planning conditions with too many night flights, the airport operator secured a High Court stay on the council’s decision and permission to challenge it in court.

The row led business groups to warn of damage to trade from flight cuts, with Ibec saying new restrictions “could potentially cause unnecessary disruptions to trade and tourism”.

An Bord Pleanála said it sent a “further information request” to DAA on April 27th, giving it four weeks to respond. In May the DAA sought what An Bord Pleanála described as a “substantial” 12-week extension until early September.

“All parties to the appeal were advised that the board had agreed to the requested extension to September 14th,” An Bord Pleanála said. “The additional information sought has not been submitted to the board by the applicant (DAA) as yet. Consequently, the board cannot process the appeal further until that information is submitted.”