An Bord Pleanála has given the green light to daa, the operator of Dublin airport, for a planned expansion of the airport’s existing US Customs Pre-Clearance and Border Protection facility.
The granting of permission by An Bord Pleanála overturns a planning refusal by Fingal Co Council for the planned extension issued in July 2023.
The Council refused planning permission to daa for the expanded CBP after finding that the proposal would be premature pending the determination by the road authority of the detailed road network to serve the area.
In response, daa lodged an appeal with its consultants, Coakley O’Neill hitting out at the Council refusal describing it as “entirely unexpected, totally unreasonable and unjustified”.
Now, almost two years on, the appeals board has granted planning permission for the facility which daa first proposed to deal with the “chronic congestion” at the existing CBP facility.
In a statement, daa stated that “it welcomes An Bord Pleanála’s decision to grant permission, (after Fingal County Council refused) to extend the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) area at Dublin Airport”.
“Dublin Airport is the fifth largest hub for transatlantic connectivity in Europe and ABP recognised that the extension”would promote Dublin Airport’s status as a secondary hub, improving international connectivity and competitiveness in line with local, regional and national policy,” daa said.
The airport operator stated that “Dublin Airport can now get on with improving the area for a better passenger experience”.
In its decision, the appeals board also concluded that the proposal would not give rise to unacceptable impacts on traffic safety and convenience during the construction phase and operation and would not detract from the visual amenities or character of the area.
A consultant’s report lodged with the application in May 2023 outlined the capacity difficulties that the existing CBP presented.
The Coakley O’Neill report told the Council that the CBP overflow queuing system was required to be used five out of every seven days in the Summer of 2022 and was projected to be required even more in Summer 2023.
They stated that the overflow queuing system “is technically and logistically complex and cumbersome”.
Coakley O’Neill stated that “is is therefore the case that the current CBP facility does not have the capacity to cater for the existing passengers”.
It said the proposed development “is undeniably needed to ensure the efficient, comfortable and safe operation of the CBP facility at Dublin airport”.
The CBP facilities at Dublin and Shannon airports allow US bound passengers to undertake all US immigration, customs and agriculture inspections at the airports prior to departure.
The facilities at the two airports gives them a competitive advantage over most other airports operating services to the US as passengers who clear pre-clearance at Dublin and Shannon airports are treated as domestic arrivals on arrival in the US, allowing them to avoid immigration queues upon arrival and pick up their bags and go.
Reporting by Gordon Deegan
