DAA lodges application for 950 extra staff car parking spaces at Dublin Airport

State-owned airport operator is seeking permission from Fingal County Council to extend its Blue long-term car park

State-owned DAA is to lodge plans in the coming days seeking permission for a 950-space staff car park at Dublin Airport.

In the planning application to be lodged with Fingal County Council, DAA is seeking permission for a westwards extension of the existing Blue long term car-park for the additional car parking spaces.

A published planning notice for the scheme states that the application site totals 10.5 acres and is bounded by the South Parallel Rd to the north, Harristown Lane to the west and Horizon Business Park to the south.

The development will involve the demolition of an existing cattle pen and hard standing area and the planning notice states that the spaces will include 48 for people with reduced mobility. The extension will also include 96 spaces serviced by electric vehicle (EV) charging points.

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The application comes against the background of growing pressure at Dublin Airport car parks for passengers, with them sold out on certain days.

A DAA spokesman said the application was required for staff at the growing number of companies, including airlines, ground handling providers and logistics firms who operate on the campus.

“DAA has plans to increase the number of parking spaces at Dublin Airport for both passengers and staff,” he said. “The number of car parking spaces available for passengers also needs to increase to meet demand and our infrastructure application, submitted to Fingal County Council last year, includes plans to add an additional 2,500-plus long and short-term car parking spaces.”

Asked about DAA efforts to address the current shortage of passenger car spaces, the spokesman said: “We continue to explore every option available and remain in discussions to see if we can operate the former Quick Park facility, where 6,200 spaces are currently lying idle, to see if we can operate it on a temporary basis for the summer months.”

A decision will be made on the staff car-parking application later this year by the council but any appeal to An Bord Pleanála would ensure that there would be no final decision on the application until 2025.

Gordon Deegan

Gordon Deegan

Gordon Deegan is a contributor to The Irish Times