Decision to allow new house within 400 metres of main runway at Cork Airport reversed

Proposed development would establish 'undesirable precedent' for similar developments

Cork Airport terminal. An Bord Pleanála has overturned a planning decision to allow a house to be built 400m from the end of the runway. Picture: Larry Cummins

An Bord Pleanála has reversed a decision of Cork County Council to grant planning permission for a new house less than 400 metres from the end of the main runway at Cork Airport.

The airport’s operator, DAA, had appealed the council’s ruling to approve the construction of a new single-storey house with a converted attic close to the airport’s perimeter at Rathdermot, Lios Cross, Ballygarvan, Co Cork.

Given its proximity to the main airport runway, An Bord Pleanála said the proposed house would interfere with the efficient operation of the airport as well as representing an incompatible land use and would give rise to “an unacceptable level of residential amenity for future residents”, notwithstanding plans for sound-proofing the property.

“The proposed development would also establish an undesirable precedent for similar developments in the area,” the board added.

It noted the house would have been located within the outer Airport Noise Zone and outer Public Safety Zone at Cork Airport.

The distance of the proposed dwelling from the end of the main runway was 380 metres.

The planning application was made by a local part-time farmer who is currently residing in an unauthorised mobile home at the rear of his parents’ house which adjoins the proposed site of the development.

He claimed he had lived in the vicinity of Cork Airport all his life and had lived in the mobile home with his wife for the past three and a half years to save money to build his new home.

The man said he had fully addressed concerns raised by the airport in relation to noise insulation for the development.

He also argued that a number of houses had been constructed even closer to the runway in the past decade which had not been the subject of any issue with the airport authorities.

The council’s decision had been sharply criticised by DAA which claimed it was “contrary to good planning and simple common sense” as well as showing disregard for the importance of Cork Airport for the regional economy and could compromise the safe and efficient operation of the airport.

Cork Airport’s head of finance, property and IT, Roy O’Driscoll said the airport had been receiving a number of complaints about noise from aircraft and recommended that any housing developments in the vicinity should be located at a further distance.

Quite simply — busy international airports and housing do not mix in close proximity.

Planning and engineering reports prepared by Cork County Council to assess the application raised no concerns about the development’s location near the airport apart from the issue of the impact of noise on its occupants.

An Bord Pleanála did not agree with its own inspector that the applicant had not demonstrated an exceptional need for housing at the location as required under the Cork County Development Plan as several other houses had already been built on the family’s land.

In a report, the inspector pointed out that the construction of the house could also have affected the future development of an international airport.