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High Court Quashes Airport Planning Decision

joeg — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 14:42:31 +0000

High Court Decision – Friday 4th June 2010

Mr Justice McKechnie in the high court on Friday 4th June 2010 quashed the decision by Sligo Co Co to grant planning permission to Sligo Airport to extend the runway onto Dorrins Strand.

In August 2009 Sligo Co Co granted Sligo Airport planning permission to build an extended runway onto Dorrins Strand in Sligo Bay. This permission was granted despite wide scale objections from local residents and other national bodies such as Dept of Environment, Heritage & Local Government, An Taisce and Birdwatch Ireland. It was opposed by the residents of Coney Island who were concerned at damage that would be done to the access road to the island. Finally it was opposed by fish farming interests because of the very real threat to critical operations in the immediate vicinity of the proposed extension.

Dorrins Strand is a fabulous amenity for local people and visitors; it is an area of outstanding natural beauty and it is protected under EU and national law as an important wildlife habitat. It is an SAC, an SPA and it is a listed Ramsar Site

Two local residents applied to the high court for a judicial review of Sligo Co Co’s decision to grant permission. After months of delay, multiple adjournments and a number of hearings, Justice McKechnie quashed the County Council decision in full in his decision on Friday.

The scheduled Bord Pleanala appeal which had been delayed under high court injunction, pending the outcome of the high court process will not now take place.

It leaves Sligo Airport back to square one with their development plans – three and half years after they first applied for planning permission to build a runway on Dorrins Strand.

Dorrins & Cummeen Strand Conservation Group (DCCG) welcome the decision of the court and we applaud and congratulate the two local people that took the high court action. It was a strong and courageous decision by them.

This result is a triumph for local activists who stood up for the protection of their local environment and the preservation of the rights of local people. This proposed development is totally unnecessary, is very damaging to the environment and hugely wasteful of much needed public funds.

Ireland Is Among The Worst Offenders

joeg — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:50:29 +0000

In an article in today’s Sunday Business Post an article by Niamh Connolly Political Correspondent writes about Ireland’s poor record when it comes to infringing EU environmental laws.

http://www.sbpost.ie/news/ireland/ireland-high-among-eu-environmental-offenders-47083.html#mon

The location in which Sligo Airport would build a runway extension on Dorrins Strand is an area designated under EU and Irish Law. The area is protected by the following designations:

Special Area of Conservation (SAC)

Special Protection area (SPA)

Candidate National Heritage Area (cNHA)

Shellfish Water Directive

It is quite astonishing that Sligo County Council have backed this plan because if it ever did get built, Sligo County Council and The Irish Government could face huge fines from EU Commission for non-compliance with EU Environmental law. Of course it is not really the Co Co or the Government who would pay such fines. That would be for you the taxpayer.

Helen’s Letter To Sligo Champion re Sligo Airport Plans

joeg — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 19:52:33 +0000

In response to an article in the Sligo Champion recently in which the editor made the assertion that the building of a runway extension at the airport would be in everybody’s interest Helen McCauley wrote to the editor. Her letter was published in Sligo Champion and can be found at this link

http://www.sligochampion.ie/temp/expansion-of-airport-not-in-everyones-interest-2039590.html

The text of her letter is as follows:

Sir

I read with dismay Mr Paul Deering’s report on reasons for us to be optimistic this year in last week’s Champion. His assertion that the expansion of Sligo Airport is in everyone’s interest is completely untrue.

The proposed absolute destruction of a protected area, an area of huge environmental importance, not to mention of great beauty is most definitely not “in everyone’s interest”.

It is not in the interest of the hundreds of people who walk this beach and around the headland each week, those who use this area for recreational purposes, swimming, horseriding, birdwatching and boat moorings. It is not in the interest of the sustainable shellfish industry operating on this strand, nor is in the interest of those people living and holidaying on Coney Island.

It is not in the interest of the taxpayers who are currently subsidising the airport. It is not in the interests of the residents of Strandhill who will be subjected to hundreds of trucks travelling through their village carrying tonnes of stone and infill to the site for at least 12 months.

The proposed extension onto Dorrin’s Strand will not allow the airport to cater for larger aircraft. The Airport currently operates in complete safety under a restricted load of 64 passengers per plane instead of 70.

The airport fails to make any case that justifies the destruction of this protected area. The total subsidy per passenger currently equates to Euo125 per trip or in the case of round trip Euro 250. Those who are opposed to this development are not “anti airport”.

We are opposed to the complete destruction of an area that brings great joy to local residents and visitors to our county. It is our duty as citizens and taxpayers of this country to protect our environment and natural landscape and to ensure that it is there to be enjoyed by many generations to come. Sligo deserves it.

Helen McCauley

Happy Christmas Everybody

joeg — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:17:23 +0000

Dorrins and Cummeen Strand Conservation Group (DCCG) would like to wish all its members, friends and supporters a:

VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS

and

A HAPPY AND SAFE NEW YEAR

As we go into the Christmas / New Year holiday period we have been advised that An Bord Pleanala have decided to hold an “oral hearing” to determine the planning application by Sligo Airport to build a runway on Dorrins Strand. This is good as we believe that we have right on our side and if given the opportunity to present our case we believe that our stand against building on Dorrins Strand will be vindicated.

The date of the oral hearing has not been notified to us as yet but in the normal course of events we would anticipate that the hearing will take place early in 2010.

So finally a big thank you to those members who worked so hard during the year and a big thank to members of the public who generously donated much needed funds and supported our various fund raising events. Thank you also to those members of the public who just gave us their morale support. In a struggle that has now lasted three years having the support from the public is so important. Thank You.

Community Art Exhibition

joeg — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:01:35 +0000

SEA SLIGO

Dorrins Cummeen Conservation Group

Community Art Exhibition

All Artists are invited to submit pieces for exhibition.

Venue: The Clarence Hotel, Wine Street, Sligo

Dates: Fri. 4th December to Mon. 14th December

Criteria:

Any two dimensional Media including photography.
One submission per person, no entry fee but 25% commission donated to Dorrins Cummeen Conservation Group Appeal.
Maximum framed size of 600mm by 600mm ready for hanging, clearly labelled on back with details of name, address, title, price including commission.
Insurance to be covered by artist.

Pieces that do not meet the criteria cannot be accepted. Should space be limited, hanging will be restricted accordingly.

Pieces need to be submitted at The Clarence Hotel on Tuesday 1st December between 11am and 7pm.

Contact: Contact Fionnuala on 086 8277018 for further details or enquiries.

Irish Brent Goose – New Link

joeg — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:57:15 +0000

The Irish Brent Goose Research Group have a website that is well worth a visit and we are glad to list them on our links section.

The group is dedicated to the conservation of Light-bellied Brent Geese in Ireland, through a programme of research and monitoring, education and outreach activities.

It is well worth a read through if you are looking for information on the Brent Goose and there are lots of other good links to bird / wildlife / wildlife habitat sites.