Appeals over seaplane base ‘exaggerated’

THE company behind contentious plans to construct a seaplane base at Mountshannon on Lough Derg have dismissed appeals against the plan as “exaggerated and misrepresentative”.

Earlier this year, Clare County Council granted planning permission to Harbour Flights Ireland for a seaplane base at Mountshannon that is part of a necklace of stops for the company along the west of Ireland.

However, An Taisce, the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board (now the Inland Fisheries Ireland or IFI), local anglers and residents appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanála.

In the submission, consultants for Harbour Flights Ireland state that they met representatives from IFI on August 11 and “we are confident that we have addressed all of their concerns”.

A letter to the IFI urges it to reconsider the appeal.

In the document rebutting the appeals, Harbour Flights Ireland state that Waterways Ireland “are supportive of the proposed development and did not object to the planning application”.

The company says it believes the operation will have “little, if any, negative impact on the environment, residents and others users of the Lough”.

“We believe that the operation will have many positive impacts and in time will be viewed as a major asset to the area,” the submission states.

A decision is due on the appeal towards the end of this year.