An Bord Pleanála refuses planning retention for 248-space car park for Dublin airport
Gordon Deegan
An Bord Pleanála has refused planning retention and continued use of a privately owned 248 space car-park to serve Dublin airport engers.
Hotel operator, Carra Shore Hotel (Dublin) Ltd was seeking the continued operation of the car-park for a further five years for short term and long term Dublin airport engers parking on the grounds of the Holiday Inn hotel.
The site is accessed via the roundabout to the east which also serves the Clayton Hotel and a Circle K Service Station close to Dublin airport.
The case was before An Bord Pleanála following a first party appeal by Carra Shore Hotel (Dublin) seeking to overturn a refusal issued by Fingal Co Council last year for the operation of the car park at Holiday Inn, Stockhole Lane, Clonshaugh, Swords, Co Dublin.
However, the appeals board has refused planning permission after finding that the use of the car-park as a long term private car-park would be classified as ‘carpark non-ancillary’, which is listed as 'not permitted' related to the zoning for the site.
The Council ruled therefore that the operation of a long term car park would materially contravene the 'HT’ 'High Technology' Zoning Objective of the Fingal Development Plan 2023-2029 which seeks to “Provide for office, research and development and high technology/high technology manufacturing type employment in a high quality built and landscaped environment”.
The appeals board inspector in the case, Emma Nevin concluded that “I am not satisfied that the current use would warrant the provision of non-ancillary parking at the hotel for use as a commercial car park associated with Dublin Airport”.
Ms Nevin said that “in relation to the case regarding the provision of the parking spaces to maintain an established car parking resource vital for the airport’s efficient operation, I am not convinced that that attracting non-hotel related parking to the site, would improve the efficient operation of the airport given the location and existing hotel use associated with the appeal site”.
Ms Nevin also stated: “I consider that the development to be retained is piecemeal and ad-hoc in the context of the wider development and strategy for the provision of parking associated with Dublin airport campus."
In the appeal against the Council refusal, John Spain Associates told the appeals board that the proposal helps distribute the parking load experienced by the daa and avoids putting undue strain on a single parking facility.
The appeal contended that the car-park introduces healthy competition and choice for airport s.
The Spain appeal also stated that given the significant demand for airport parking and the enger numbers, coupled with delays in delivering important planned public transport improvements, Metrolink and Swords to City Centre Bus Connects, there is a short term need for additional airport car parking in suitable locations such as the subject site.
The appeal urged the appeals board to grant planning permission due to the fact that the parking spaces already exist, are not presently required for the original hotel purpose, that there is a substantial demand for airport parking, increasing enger numbers, and the ongoing delays in enhancing public transport services to the airport.
