Drone delivery service Manna’s plans for a new hub in Dundrum, Co Dublin, could lead to a “disrespectful” situation whereby a drone takes off during Mass, a senior cleric has claimed.
Manna has submitted new documents to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council as part of its bid to build a planned drone delivery hub in the south Dublin suburb.
A number of local people and representatives have also filed objections to the scheme.
A decision on the facility had been delayed after planning authorities requested further information on noise levels and how the operation might affect the ecology of the area.
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Manna lodged plans with the council in June last year for the aerial food delivery hub at a site off the main street of Dundrum, in a car park to the rear of Holy Cross Church.
In a submission to the council by Ann Mulcrone of Reid Associates planning consultants, Msgr Paul Callan of Holy Cross Church and Pastoral Centre, Dundrum, said community concerns about the impact of the noise of the drones have “not been addressed”.
“The nature of the noise, which includes amplitude modulation, tonal and impulsive characteristics, would be a discordant contrast to the quiet nature of the church and pastoral centre activities,” he said.
“The church provides a quiet space of refuge and the variety of activities in the church and pastoral centre include mindfulness, meditation, stillness, yoga, therapy groups for young and old.
“There is a fundamental land use conflict between the proposed use and the impacts on the church have not and cannot be properly addressed as the proposed use is simply incompatible with the quiet environment essential to the church and pastoral centre.
“The prospect of a drone take off during Mass is simply unprecedented and disrespectful.”
Founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Bobby Healy, Manna has developed aviation-grade drones that fly at 80km per hour and deliver goods, including groceries, takeaways and medicines.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council asked the company to carry out several assessments before making a final decision on the plan.
Among the additional information requested by the council was a noise-impact assessment addressing the take-off and landing of drones, idling and preflight checks, and any noise created by loading, unloading and associated ground support equipment.
The company was also asked to provide information about the proposed area and hours of operation, how many drones it expects to have in the air at once, and proposed flight heights.
The local authority also requested various assessments to examine the potential ecological impact of the drone activity on local wildlife, including birds and bats, and a transport assessment to look at the volume of ground traffic and trips that might be needed to serve the proposed aerial delivery hub.
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The application for the Dundrum hub has encountered local opposition, with a number of objections lodged to the plans.
The latest filings published by the local authority also include complaints. One objector said Manna was “primarily concerned about making money”.
“I do not want drones flying over my house and garden, daily, or ever,” he said. “Apart from the noise disruption, visual impact of ugly drones, there is no indication about what personal information these drones are gathering about me or my family.
“I do not want a drone potentially flying past my child’s bedroom window. I do not want a drone flying over my head as I relax in the back garden.”
Manna has pushed back against the complaints, noting its safety record and expressions of support from more than 2,000 users in the Dublin 15 area, including a letter of support sent to public representatives signed by more than 400 residents.
“The majority of people in Dublin 15 have used the service and we have been delighted with the 2,268 positive messages in-app and via our letter of support we have received in the area,” it previously said.
