Aer Rianta seeks to curb building around Shannon

Efforts by Aer Rianta to seek additional planning restrictions around Shannon Airport are set to be turned down by members of Clare County Council today.

At the council's February meeting today, members are set to adopt the council's south Clare economic corridor plan.

As part of the drawing up of the plan, Aer Rianta made a submission seeking further planning restrictions around the airport in response to aircraft noise.

Already, Aer Rianta operates a contentious policy of objecting to housing developments within the so-called red zones around Shannon Airport.

The red zones - also in force around Dublin and Cork airports - are located at the approaches and ends of runways at the airports to provide for the safety of aircraft and people on the ground.

In recent times, Clare County Council has granted planning for houses within the red zones. However, on appeal An Bord Pleanála has upheld Aer Rianta's objections.

The legality of the order establishing the red zones was challenged in the High Court by local landowner Mr Sean Liddy and a reserved judgment is still awaited.

Also, a Government inter-departmental working group reviewing red zones is ongoing and, according to a departmental spokesperson, the draft final report is to be published towards the end of this month to allow public consultation take place.

In the meantime, Clare County Council has made provision for single houses and light industrial development within the red zones around Shannon in the draft south Clare economic plan.

However, along with requesting the council to restrict development in the red zones in the interests of public safety, Aer Rianta is now also requesting that the council place restrictions around Shannon due to aircraft noise.

After submitting a noise contour map to the council, Aer Rianta has requested that the council adopt a policy whereby new residential development within this contour would not be acceptable without appropriate noise insulation measures.

It goes on: "In extreme cases, it may be necessary in the interests of the proper planning and sustainable development to prohibit new residential development on environmental grounds where the location proposed is in proximity to a runway."

A spokesman for Fingal County Council said that it does not operate specific restrictions on development due to noise around Dublin airport in its development plan, but the plan does contain a noise control area.

In response to Aer Rianta's move, Clare councillor Mr Pat McMahon (FF) said yesterday he was dumbfounded at what he called "Aer Rianta's increasingly hard-line approach over developments around the airport".

He asked: "Where is the noise study that says that development should not take place due to noise? This is another example of Aer Rianta's heavy-handed approach to local residents. It is insensitive and does nothing for Aer Rianta's relations with the local community."

Cllr McMahon said that he was confident that Aer Rianta's move would not receive any support within the council.

Independent councillor Ms Patricia McCarthy said yesterday: "Aer Rianta's noise proposal would not be acceptable to people. I believe there are already enough restrictions around Shannon Airport.

She went on: "The council and local people know how important Shannon is to the region. With each application, the council does act responsibly in determining planning applications and I believe that additional restrictions are not required."