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AN BORD PLEANÁLA has refused planning permission for an “iconic” €14 million steel rollercoaster for Tayto Park, as the operation of the ride would be too noisy for nearby residents.
In a hammer blow to expansion plans at Ireland’s largest theme park, the appeals board has refused planning permission for Coaster 2021 in response to objections by four residents. Meath County Council gave the plan the go-ahead in February.
However, local residents, Jeremy Butcher and Suzanne Galwey, along with Donal Greene and Clare Smith, appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanála.
In their joint appeal, they claimed that the anticipated screaming from passengers on Coaster 2021 will increase noise disturbance in the area.
The appellants’ dwellings are located 430 metres to the north of the Tayto Park site and 480 metres to the north east of the theme park.
In its formal order, the appeals board stated that having regard to the location of the rollercoaster in close proximity to residential dwellings the board is not satisfied that the rollercoaster “would not seriously injure the amenities of property in the vicinity by reason of noise”.
The Board has made its refusal following a recommendation from its inspector to refuse planning permission at the end of a 49-page report.
As part of her on-site inspection on 7 June, the inspector noted the ‘rattling’ and ‘screaming’ sounds from the park’s existing Cú Chulainn rollercoaster.
The appeals board also refused planning after stating that it was not satisfied that the proposed development would not be at the risk of flooding.
The board also stated it was precluded from granting planning as it was not satisfied that Coaster 2021 would not be likely to have a significant adverse effect on the EU protected site – the River Nanny Estuary and Shore Special Protection Area (SPA).
Coaster 2021 was to be one metre lower than the park’s 32 metre high Cú Chulainn rollercoaster and be 972 metres in length. The rollercoaster was expected to add 40 full-time and part-time jobs at the park.
Long-term viability at risk
The decision represents a major blow to the future prospects of Tayto Park.
Planning documents lodged with the application state that if the Tayto Park operators do not add a major attraction at this time “the longer term viability of the park would be brought into question”.
The planning documents stated that Coaster 2021 will help projected visitor numbers to Tayto Park – owned by businessmen, Ray Coyle – increase by 15% from 630,000 in 2019 to 725,000 in 2023.
Speaking last November, Coyle said that the new rollercoaster “will copper-fasten the future of Tayto Park”.
He said: “The new rollercoaster will be two rollercoasters in one. It will be a first for Europe and ensure the future of the park. If you don’t create something landmark every three of four years, your numbers will start going down and that is the road to closure.”
Noise disturbance was the first ground of appeal by the residents and they stated that the existing Cú Chulainn rollercoaster produces significant “rattling” while moving accompanied by screaming from those on board every time it is in use, which is every few minutes up to nine hours a day.
The appeal contended: “Although the new rollercoaster is electric and may not produce the same rattle, it will inevitably bring the noise of participants screaming every time it is in use.”
They added that the application actually includes two rollercoaster rides “tripling the total noise disturbance we experience”.
A report commissioned by Tayto Park stated that last year the Park produced a €32 million spend for the economy and sustained over 800 jobs.
The most recent accounts for Tayto Park for 2017 show that it recorded an 8% rise in pre-tax profits to €3.65m.
This followed revenues increasing by 5% to €17.533m – or an average of €92,770 a day in revenues for each of the 189 days Tayto Park was open in 2017.
Statement from Tayto Park
In response to the An Board Pleanála ruling, a statement from Tayto Park stated that “the management of Tayto Park is very disappointed to be informed today of the decision by An Bord Pleanala to refuse the planning application for the construction of two new rollercoasters at Tayto Park (Coaster 2021 is two rollercoasters in one).”
Tayto Park stated: “We believe that our planning application and response to the objections raised to An Bord Pleanála addressed every concern raised.”
We now have no choice but to delay an investment of over €14m into the development of two world class rollercoasters which would have brought over 25 construction jobs to Meath and by 2020 40 new permanent jobs to Tayto Park as well as countless new visitors to the county from Ireland and abroad.
Tayto Park confirmed: “We will continue to strive to create a world class facility encompassing a unique blend of nature and exciting attractions at Tayto Park.
“We will examine the decision of An Bord Pleanála in detail and decide our next course of action and although disappointed with the decision we will continue to look at ways of keeping Tayto Park one of Ireland’s most visited and loved attractions.”
Go girl !
@Riddled Fidl: sound feen.
Bond Villain
@Dave Connolly: I don’t know much about him but there’s something very unusual about the guy that I can’t put my finger on.
Bill Gates is villfied by the anti vaxx crowd wanting to put micochips in the covid vaccines but Elon who publicly has stated his idea for putting microchips into brains gets a free pass.
@Ally Mc Culladgh: it’s a great idea. Could cure blindness, deafness etc
And once she gets the vaccine that’s her and the community under the control of the evil tech lords! I for one welcome all this, pump me full of the vaccine and give me unlimited data and a bucket of Monster and I’ll be set to go!
They’ll have their own satellites?!! And not just one – BUT TWO?!!! The thermosphere is about to get very crowded if individual satellites are required for everyone.
@Steve: no, they are shared satellites. The article is a bit unclear tho! They each get a dish for home…
@Steve: They don’t have many up there at the moment but in order to provide the sort of coverage they are looking for they are talking about 30,000 devices in Low Earth Orbit eventually. If completed it will literally change the look of the night sky.
However, it’s certainly a much more efficient solution to broadband supply in rural areas than envisioned under the National Broadband Plan. Under the NBP those people would (eventually) have to be tied in to the fibre grid which would mean building a mini exchange and rolling out a 10+ km of fibre to connect the scattered houses. For the same 4 customers.
Spacex estimate the cost of their network, when complete, should come in around the $10Billion mark. It will cover the entire globe. We’re talking about paying €3Billion to cover the island of Ireland. One of us is doing it *wrong* and I’ll leave it there.
@John Considine: we should be on the phone to SpaceX immediately and be asking to be a test country for this StarLink internet. Could save us a few billion…which is much needed.
@HarveyLemonade: To their credit, ComReg have made consideration for the provision of such a service almost 4 years ago:
https://www.comreg.ie/media/dlm_uploads/2017/07/ComReg-1726sR.pdf
I believe Starlink hope to be operating commercially here by the end of the year. Presumably that means the application process for licensing is going well. I believe the costs will be comparatively high to start though. I remember reading the bi-directional satellite dish was going to cost €500. Found the article on the Indo:
“The service costs €99 per month plus a €499 charge for the required satellite dish and a €61 delivery fee.”
@HarveyLemonade: been saying since before the NBP was launched. Old world thinking and way too expensive.
@John Considine: shame you’re wrong though.
Fair play.
Hang on. Were the government not paying somebody a shed load of money to do this already?
@Dave Thomas: they’ll dump it the minute they get fibre
I have heard about this Space Ex Broad Band in the states..
It is a satellite of sum sort if my memory serves me.. getting great reviews
The system is called starlink and it is based on the low ceiling of the satellites in orbit and all u need is a dish and away u go..
Price wise I think is an issue great at start but goes up..
But I’d say well worth it..
@Sportmad: I thin the idea is to make it affordable! Everything Elon does is an attempt to make things cheaper – electric cars, rockets, tunnels, solar panels and now broadband. He has already reduced the cost of putting a rocket in space by 10s of millions
@David Kelly: yes that is his Model but the cost of entry is Cheap about $500 inc all equipment and attachments as it’s a portable device mainly..
But the reviewers if I’m not mistaken are complaining about the nominal user cost which is very high..
It is an incredible product to be fair but look at the Tesla car price out of reach of majority
We are in a dead zone also, was promised high speed ISDN line by May 2006, still waiting…
However we’ve been notified that we will have high speed by the end of this summer which is a huge relief as long as it’s not another false dawn, we’re only 6 miles from Tralee!
@David Grey: I’m only 6 miles from cork city, fibre a 200-300 metres north, south and west of me. Not in NBI plans until 2024 at the earliest. I’ve already registered with starlink for service before the end of the this year. Pay 45 a month already for single digit speeds from Vodafone, 99 a month for starlink but will be well worth it
“Eeey”
Many individuals and biz stuck in broadband never-ever land may be interested in “Plan B for #NBP” which I recently sent to Gov ministers, TDs etc about National Broadband Plan & potential of low-Earth orbit LEO sats like #Starlink.
Summary: http://bit.ly/3cyDb1A
I don’t blame anyone for getting starlink in, but good lord I hate that company for what they are doing to the night sky. By the time they are finished they will have tens of thousands of satellites meandering across the night sky. Star gazing will never be the same for anyone on the planet ever again. Astro photography also horrifically impacted.
I’ve just seen the 60 satalites pass over caherdaniel co Kerry. It’s mad looking. 13/5/21. .
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