A Bord Pleanala hearing into plans by a private company to build a £50 million second terminal at Dublin Airport was abruptly adjourned yesterday on foot of a High Court order. On the second day of the hearing yesterday Aer Rianta and the Irish Aviation Authority outlined a series of objections to the proposal put forward by the developer, Huntstown Air Park Ltd. Mr John Gibbons, for Huntstown, interrupted proceedings after less than an hour to inform the Bord Pleanala inspector, Mr Kevin Devereux, that the High Court had granted his client a prohibition order preventing the hearing from going ahead.
The order was to remain in place pending a High Court application by Huntstown to have Aer Rianta documents relating to its future plans for the airport made available to the hearing. On Monday Mr Gibbons had referred to the documents as the "master plan" for the airport.
Mr Bernard McHugh, for Aer Rianta, had told the hearing that it was not in a position to release the documents as they contained confidential and commercially sensitive information.
On being informed of the High Court order, made by Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness, Mr Devereux immediately adjourned the hearing.
Before the sudden suspension of proceedings, Mr McHugh had sharply criticised Huntstown's proposals, saying they were premature and lacking in detail. He also argued that the development was unnecessary, as the existing terminal was capable of being expanded to cater for any foreseeable increase in passenger traffic.
The developers are appealing a decision by Fingal County Council to reject outline planning permission for the terminal.
Mr Tom Phillips for the Irish Aviation Authority, which regulates safety standards at airports, said the proposed development could obstruct observation from the airport's control tower and might also impact on surface movement radar.
