Fingal council turns down McEvaddy proposal for cargo handling application at Dublin airport

Fingal County Council rejected the application from DA Terminal 3 Ltd for cargo-handling units at Dublin Airport.
The 30-acre site is located between the two main runways at Huntstown, Swords.
The development was projected to create 350 jobs, comprising 200 warehouse and 150 office positions.
Permission was refused on five grounds, including potential prejudice to a third terminal.
The proposal contravened zoning objectives and raised concerns over airport operation and infrastructure.

Fingal Council has rejected the planning application from DA Terminal 3 Ltd, backed by Desmond and Ulick McEvaddy, for development on land between the two main runways at Dublin Airport. The proposal involved four aviation-related cargo-handling units operating on a 24/7 basis, along with ancillary office space on a 30-acre site at Huntstown, Swords. Council officials refused permission on five grounds, citing concerns over the potential prejudice to future airport expansion.

The proposed units featured a combined floor area of 34,623 square metres, with claims that the scheme would employ 350 people, including 200 warehouse positions and 150 office roles. A planning report supported the application as the first phase of development on a 123.5-acre site, with long-term plans for a third terminal. However, the council determined that the development could hinder the orderly operation and growth of the airport, including a western access route.

DAA expressed concerns in its submission, noting the proposal as a land-side logistics facility reliant solely on airport proximity, alongside issues related to rights of way, integration, safety, traffic, wildlife hazard, and site lighting.

The council further ruled that the scheme contravened the Fingal Development Plan zoning for Dublin Airport, as it did not qualify as air transport infrastructure or airport-related logistics. Additional reasons included dominance of the landscape and prematurity due to lacking Uisce Éireann infrastructure.

Fingal council shared: “This was intended to be the first phase of development on a 123.5-acre site owned by DA Terminal 3 Ltd. The long-term proposals included the development of a third terminal for Dublin Airport. The proposal was for a land-side logistics facility benefiting from airport proximity only. It is piecemeal and developer-led and fails to present a comprehensive and cohesive approach in ensuring sustainable growth at the airport is safeguarded.”