Appeal against Tipperary aviation hub rejected by planning commission
Plans for an aviation hub in north Tipperary have been approved on appeal by An Coimisiún Pleanála.
Apex Aviation were granted planning permission by Tipperary County Council to build five commercial buildings in the Lisboney Business Park in Nenagh.
The plans would see one aircraft engine maintenance building with office space, one aircraft engine storage facility with office space, and three detached warehouse buildings.
The plant is expected to create 35 jobs once open and operational.
Michael Duffy, a chartered engineer from County Clare, appealed the council’s grant of permission, saying that the plans for the facilities are “vague,” and that there was no elements of renewable energy planned for the site.
A policy of the local area plan “is to support the use of renewable energy technologies at appropriate scales in residential, commercial and community developments,” Mr Duffy said, adding that “nothing in this proposal addresses the issue of renewable energy.”
Mr Duffy also raised concerns that Uisce Éireann have said that they won’t provide firefighting water to the site, in the event of a fire.
“The planner makes an oblique comment in the planner’s report that a further planning application may be required to address the issue of firefighting water,” he said.
“This is an incredible decision and totally ignores the issues raised in my submission,” Mr Duffy added.
The appeal also questioned potential impacts on local watercourses, wastewater infrastructure and bat habitats.
Despite these concerns, an inspector for An Coimisiún Pleanála recommended that the planning permission be upheld.
The inspector said that in the issue of firefighting water, if water cannot be accessed from nearby pipes, the proposed Apex site is big enough to be able to store a water tank.
“I note that the provision of firefighting facilities need to satisfy the building regulations and fire certificate process which are a separate code to that of planning and that the applicant will need to demonstrate compliance with such to obtain a fire certificate,” the planner said.
“I consider if issues do arise in term of the requirement to provide for onsite water storage tanks to service firefighting in the process of obtaining a fire certificate, there is sufficient space within the overall landholding to provide such,” they added.
Despite concerns raised by Mr Duffy about connection to Nenagh’s wastewater treatment plant, which is at capacity, the inspector said that Uisce Éireann have confirmed that there is sufficient capacity in the planned new treatment plant to serve the development.
“On review of Uisce Eireann’s capacity register for wastewater treatment on April 9 2026, I note that it indicates that there is capacity available within the Nenagh New Waste Water Treatment Plant,” they said.
The planning permission was upheld by the commission, subject to 18 planning conditions.
Included among the conditions are that measures will be taken during construction to manage and dispose of construction and demolition wastes arising from the development.
They also stipulated that noise coming from the development should not exceed stated limits during the day and at night, and that the proposed parking spaces shall be clearly delineated in thermoplastic markings before the building is occupied.