Kerry County Council is due to make a decision next month on whether to grant planning permission for a new building to hold private aircraft at Kerry Airport.
The airport says the hangar could cater for different sized aircraft, the largest of which would be almost 34 metres or 111 feet in length.
Kerry Airport says the proposed development would help with its continued growth as a strategically important transportation hub and would help realise the potential of the south west region.
It says it’s necessary for the safe expansion of air traffic at the Farranfore facility and that it wouldn’t present an unacceptable risk of water or air pollution and wouldn’t be prejudicial to public health due to noise impacts.
Kerry Airport says if the planning application is successful, the project will support jobs during construction and a considerable number of long term jobs once the aircraft hangar opens.
It says the largest aircraft the hangar could accommodate would be a Bombardier Global 7500 which is almost 34 metres in length, with a wingspan of almost 32 metres and a height of over 8 metres.
Bombardier’s website describes this aircraft as the world’s largest and longest range business jet complete with living spaces and a full-size kitchen.
The development is being opposed on environmental grounds by members of the Green Party in Kerry, and by Tony Lowes who’s director of the Friends of the Irish Environment charity.
Mr Lowes says the application to facilitate private jet usage at Kerry Airport should be refused when there is a climate emergency.
He also raised concerns, which he says received from the local community, in relation to air, noise and light disturbances
High-profile environmentalist Peter Sweetman, who appealed the South Kerry Greenway development to the Supreme Court, has also submitted observations.
