223 Objections Received to Sligo Airport’s Proposal to Build Runway on Dorrin’s Strand
In March 2007 Sligo Co Co received over 70 objections to Sligo Airport’s proposal to build a runway on the scenic and environmentally sensitive Dorrins Strand. Last Thursday (11 Sept 08) over 3 times the number of objections ( 223) were submitted in response to their recent application.
Sligo Airport Company withdrew their initial application and submitted a revised one in an effort to overcome concerns raised, by the Council’s Planning Department, about many elements of the proposed project.
Dorrins & Cummeen Strand Conservation Group (DCCG), local residents, visitors from all over Ireland and the UK, shellfish farmers as well as NGOs such as Birdwatch Ireland and Keep Ireland Open have all exercised their right to object to the destruction of Dorrins Strand. The Department of Agriculture – Coastal Zone and Marine Division (CZMD) made a submission in which they raised several concerns about the development and described the Environmental Impact Statement as “incomplete” in certain ways.
Chairman and Spokesman for the DCCG, John MacDermott said
“We are pleased with this growing support from the local and wider community. It is an endorsement for our highlighting the inherent dangers in a development of this scale on a public beach. We put the increase in opposition down to two things- (a) a greater awareness of the extent of the devastation that would be caused to this unique environment protected under local, national and EU law and (b) the fact that while all small airports are under severe economic pressures their application gave no evidence that Sligo airport will be able to overcome these difficulties and continue to operate into the future.
Sligo Airport did not establish any connection between having, or not having, this extension and the survival of the airport. Many people wanted to be assured that if they gave up their beach they would at least have an airport.”
DCCG are now calling on political representatives to take heed of the groundswell of public opinion on this subject. It is time for politicians to show political courage and leadership and draw up an integrated transportation policy and plan for Sligo and its environs and show what role air travel would play in such a plan.
Such a plan will have to take into account the new realities in our lives today with the need for sustainability and viability, the need to respect our environment, wildlife and our aquaculture industries.
We also ask the Planners in Sligo County Council to heed the many objections made in writing and reject this application.
Building anything on the existing constrained site seems pointless given there is virtually no possibility of future growth. Is it really worth digging up a protected beach and local amenity for 2 flights a day and the vanity of a county airport! Even at a new location it would never have a viable catchment far beyond Sligo town and would be surrounded by existing airports.
It would serve the county far better if the millions proposed for the runway extension were used to accelerate the N17 atlantic corridor. We already have an international airport on the Sligo border in Ireland West Airport Knock, which has the runway and the modern aviation support services in place, and a new terminal underway to meet the needs of the West well into the future.
Rather than seeking to undermine Knock it should be the county councils strategy to support it, and help increase the frequency and variety of routes into the region.