Residents Opposed to Newcastle Airfield
Limiting Development, Raising Awareness
A few short metres from the airstrip this microlight, a Mainair Gemini Weightshift crash lands just a few days after christmas, December 28, 2010
Wicklow County Council Engages in Court Action
Are you aware that a major development is taking place at Newcastle airfield over the past two years - and without planning permission?
Wicklow County Council has been actively seeking to have this development dismantled. Two warnings and an enforcement notice have been issued to the owner and operator of the airfield and the Council is now engaged in court action to have the enforcement implemented.
The Council’s enforcement notice of 17th December, 2008 alleged that the airstrip was being changed from private to commercial use without planning permission.
The Council has also instructed the owner to take the following action by mid-June, 2009.
• Remove and dispose of advertising hoarding at entrance on Sea Road.
• Dismantle and remove timber chalet and decking, portacabin and canteen
• Break up and remove tarmacadam used for helicopter pads and car park
• Remove helicopters and aircraft from agricultural shed
• Remove construction and demolition waste
• Restore runway to original length
• Stop retail activity
Local residents are concerned about the scale of the developments. The operator told the Wicklow People in July, 2008, that he was storing "around 25 aircraft" on the site.
He also said he had "big plans" for the future of the airstrip, yet he has made no planning application to Wicklow County Council on the development, nor have local residents been informed.
However, when questioned on the development, the operator told the North Wicklow Times (July 16th, 2008), that he was merely "cleaning the place up and making it safe".
In 1997 the Council and An Bord Pleanala refused the previous owner permission to develop the facility.
Residents opposed to Newcastle airfield (RONA) has been opposing the development of the land as an airfield for more than a decade. We believe the current development is very destructive and poses a serious threat to both the amenities and wildlife of an area that is widely used and enjoyed by local people.
If you share our view, we encourage you to talk or write to your local election candidates, let them know your concerns, ask them where they stand on the issue and what are they prepared to do about it. Ask your neighbours, relatives and friends to do likewise.
Ten Breaches are Found
Following an investigation of several alleged breaches of planning, Wicklow County Council (WCC) has issued Edward O'Dwyer, owner of Newcastle Airfield and John Nugent, its operator, with an enforcement notice. This notice requires the removal of all material, including tarmac, and helicopter for which permission has not been sought and an exemption from planning has not been found to be proven.
Within five days of the notice, the recipeints are instructed "to cease all use of the timber chalet and associated decking on the site". This instruction was also given regarding other unauthorised developments that were part of the investigation. They include ceasing the use of a "museum", and the removal of planes from the agricultural building(PL 27/588231), and the removal of advertising hording and a helicopter from the site. Also included in the notice is the removal of demolition waste, tarmac and inert material. It also states that the runway must be reduced to its original length.
Wicklow County Council pointed out that is will require O'Dwyer and Nugent to refund the costs and expenses reasonably incurred by the authority in the investigtion, detection and issue of the enforcement notice. The notice also included a reminder that if the order is not complied with, WCC has the power to enter the land and make the changes themselves. This could include the the removal, demolition and alteration of any structure. They'd also be looking for WCC's expenses to be reimbursed in this case.
Read the decision for yourself by clicking on the link to each of the four pages below
If you wish to support the challenging of these developments, contact Wicklow Planning Office and /or email Residents Opposed to Newcastle Airfield
The alleged breaches of planning
-Change of use of airfield from private to commercial use
-Material use of the large agricultural shed as a hangar for planes.
-Use of structure to house a museum
The erection of a wooden structure with decking
The construction and/or alterations of aprons and airside roadways
The construction of a car park
The erection of an advertising hoarding
The erection of fencing
Earlier last year, John Nugent was issued with a warning notice about alleged dumping/ spreading of hardcore and topsoil on lands designated for protection as an NHA and SPA.
In the past, planning permission has been refused outright for any intensification of the Airfield. Specifically, permission was refused for storing planes in the agricultural shed as well as for a clubhouse.