THE HIGH Court has dismissed Weston Aerodrome’s appeal against An Bord Pleanála’s rejection of its application to turn former farmyard buildings on its lands into aircraft hangars.
The president of the High Court, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, dismissed Weston’s appeal after finding the board had taken all relevant matters into account before refusing permission for the hangars.
The privately licensed aerodrome between Lucan and Leixlip got planning permission from Kildare County Council in 2005 for the change of use of farmyard buildings into 2,000sq m of hangars to be used for light aircraft.
The board overturned that decision on appeal.
An Bord Pleanála ruled the proposed hangar development was unacceptable because it amounted to intensification of the aerodrome in a piecemeal way. It also ruled their location would be likely to create a traffic hazard.
The board added that the proposed change of use conflicted with its previous decision of 2003 granting permission for one large hangar, a control tower and office/ clubhouse but refusing permission for another five hangars.
Weston had challenged the board’s refusal on grounds including it had misinterpreted its previous permission in relation to intensification of use and/or had fettered its own discretion in relation to granting a new permission.