This article is from page 64 of the 2008-05-06 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 64 JPG
A SOUTH-EAST Clare developer has for the fourth time been refused planning permission for a helicopter pad on his land at Clonlara.
Clare County Council rejected the latest application from Peter Stritch with an internal council memo stat- ing that legal action over unauthor- ised helicopter activity at the site was ongoing. Mr Stritch had previously been refused planning permission
for a helipad on two occasions while he was also refused permission to construct a hangar for a helicopter.
In response to the latest applica- tion, the council concluded that the helipad would seriously injure the amenities and depreciate the value of adjacent residential properties and be contrary to the proper planning and development of the area.
The council refused planning per- mission after objections were lodged by a number of local residents.
In his objection, David Beckett stated that the grounds on which the previous applications were refused were still valid and unchanged and the fact that the location of the site on the farm was moved made no dif- eon Gen
“His appeal to An Bord Pleanala was refused and it is possible that this application is being used as a re- placement for the rejected helicopter landing area.
“My family and I were greatly dis-
turbed by the noise. Helicopters are very noisy and the beat of the ro- tor blades is particularly irritating. Even an approaching helicopter can be heard when it is only a dot in the sky. The applicant will argue that the landing site is well away from hous- es, but this ignores the fact that when the helicopter is flying overhead, it 1s less than 100 metres away and can be heard throughout the house.”
Mr Beckett said there were im- portant safety concerns to consider,
including the fact that the proposed site was next to a gallop which was used daily and there was a high risk of an equestrian accident.
‘According to a UK accident data- base, 57 helicopters have crashed so far this year. On March 20, a heli- copter crashed in Meath, while in July 2007, a helicopter crashed near Ballynacally. We live in a quiet, rural and increasingly residential area and it is not suitable for aircraft activity,” Mr Beckett concluded.