Locals object to €130m runway plan on claims of noise pollution

DUBLIN residents have vowed to object to plans for a second €130 million runway at the State airport on the grounds of noise pollution.

Unveiling the proposal yesterday, Dublin Airport Authority said the project would need to be completed by the end of the decade to cope with the projected explosion in passengers to 20 million a year.

The overall expansion of the airport will be curtailed if this project does not get the go-ahead, Dublin Airport director Robert Hilliard warned. Passenger numbers are set to rocket to 30 million in 12 years time.

“Demand for runway space will exceed capacity - aircraft will not be able to land and take off on time,” Mr Hilliard said.

He said the new Authority also wanted a quick decision from Government on the development of a second terminal.

“We have made a decision on what needs to be done to handle the aircraft - we now want a decision on the second terminal because it is part of our overall development plan,” Mr Hilliard said.

The Government is considering 13 expressions of interests from private firms, including Ryanair, to a second terminal at Dublin Airport. Ryanair also called on the Government yesterday to make a quick decision on the second terminal at the airport.

Dublin Airport does not need a second “cartier” runway costing €130 million when Gatwick Airport in London which has almost twice its number of passengers has only one runway, Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said.

But Transport Minister Martin Cullen’s spokesman said he was giving the matter priority and would meet with the main players shortly.

Meanwhile, Mr Hilliard said there would be a 30% increase in Dublin-airport related jobs if the second runway development gets the green light. Over 120 companies are based at Dublin airport, employing almost 12,000 people on site and a further 39,000 throughout the country.

However, a group of residents from nearby Portmarnock confirmed yesterday it would object to the second runway.

The residents claim it will substantially increase noise pollution in the south Fingal area and interfere with local schools. They also argue that there will also be an increase in air pollution and damage to existing wildlife habitats.

Mr Hilliard argued that very few people lived close to the airport and they tried as much as possible to ensure that flight paths did not transit populated areas.

“We are very mindful of our responsibility to local communities on air quality and water quality,” Mr Hilliard added.

The official planning application for the new runway will be lodged with Fingal County Council by the end of the year, but the runway is not expected to be completed until the end of the decade - if there are no major objections.

A second public consultation process will take place all this week in the Great Southern Hotel.