Fingal County Council has signed off on plans by Dublin Airport operator DAA to expand the existing Pier 1 West building at the hub to help deal with overcrowding.
In granting planning permission to the plan to add a second storey to the western end of Pier 1 West, the council has concluded that the proposal for additional space for passengers is not expected to have a negative impact on the public amenity of the area.
The development will include two new boarding gates to ease bottlenecks and improve on-time departures as well as additional seating, new food and beverage outlets, and upgraded toilet facilities. Those moves should making waiting times more comfortable and convenient.
The permission is subject to eight planning conditions.
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The proposal “directly addresses critical operational challenges at Pier 1 West, overcrowding, and poor energy performance,” according to a planning report lodged by DAA with the application.
It states that the current conditions at Pier 1 West “pose several critical challenges. Pier 1 West is overcrowded and undersized, leading to congestion, delays, and poor passenger flow, which negatively impacts flight punctuality and overall operations”.
Highlighting the need for the development, the planning report states that Pier 1 West is a small, compact area of 1,066 sqm, currently serving six passenger boarding gates.
The report adds that “additional space would improve comfort for passengers – enabling comfortable seating areas, and improved food and beverage offer, both of which are currently lacking”.
The report states that the proposal will “also improve circulation space within and around the gates, improving passenger experience for all passengers, including those with reduced mobility”.
The report states that the proposed development “will alleviate pressure on current infrastructure, streamline processing and significantly improve the overall passenger experience through better layout, amenities and flow”.
The “the current floor area can become very congested, requiring considerable active management of queuing areas, and can lead to delays in passenger processing for flights. This has potential to directly impact flight punctuality and efficiency of overall airport operations,” it added.
DAA spokesman Kevin Cullinane said on Wednesday the authority welcomes the decision by Fingal County Council.
“This approval represents a significant step in our ongoing commitment to enhancing Ireland’s strategic national infrastructure. DAA remains focused on delivering facilities that support national connectivity and delivering long-term value for our passengers and stakeholders,” he said.
