Manna Air Delivery facing local opposition after lodging plans for new hub in Dundrum
Manna Drones Ltd has lodged the plans with Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council for the aerial delivery hub on lands at an existing car park site to the rear of Main Street and the rear of Holy Cross Church in Dundrum.
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However, the plan is already encountering local opposition with one objector, Olive Donnelly, telling the council 'Drone use in residential areas poses serious risks. In Dublin 15, Manna Drones has already caused widespread disruption: persistent noise, low-altitude flights over homes and schools and repeated residents' complaint… these impacts are real, ongoing, and unacceptable'.
This claim was contradicted by Manna Air Delivery on Wednesday with a spokesman stating 'in Dublin 15 we have received a warm welcome. We have received a total 77 complaints out of servicing an area of 150,000 people in over a year.'
In the Dáil last week, opposition TDs warned of the growing noise disturbance by food delivery drones in Dublin, with Social Democrats TD Garry Gannon warning of a 'dystopian future' of drone activity.
The application is Manna Drones Ltd's first such application for the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Co Council area and in a planning report lodged with the plans, Downey Chartered Town Planners state that the proposal 'represents an appropriately informed and correct approach to the much-needed service at this location on a currently underutilised area of the existing car park site'.
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The report states that Manna Drones is seeking to enhance and improve delivery services within the Dundrum area, and the benefits of enabling drone delivery from such a location include faster delivery, efficiency, cost savings, reduced environmental impact, increased accessibility and improved customer experience.
Downey Chartered Town Planners state that the development has 'been scaled in a manner where any existing amenities of the area are not adversely affected in any way, nor any degradation of privacy arising from this subject development'.
Downey Planning states that 'the proposed development is considered to be a positive contribution to the locality'.
The report states that 'in an age where environmental consciousness is paramount, drone operations present a sustainable alternative to traditional delivery methods'.
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The report adds: 'Indeed, electric drones offer a greener and more efficient choice than normal delivery methods, while ensuring delivery in a timely manner without burdening transport networks.'
Already, four objections have been lodged against the scheme. In one, Anita Phelan told the council that the sound of the drones is another noise disturbance which will undoubtedly take from the serenity of the space close to Dundrum Church.
Ms Phelan said: 'Please take on board people's need for quiet spaces which ultimately affects their quality of life, which surely ranks above quicker delivery service of burgers and lattes and refuse this application."
Katherine Butterly and James Ryan live with their two young children at their home, 1.4km from Holy Cross Church car park.
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They have told the council that 'we know that it is likely that the drones will pass over our home. We believe that this will pitch the interests of a few (companies who will profit from this proceeding) over the many thousands of local residents in this built up area who would oppose it'.
Mrs Priscilla Lawrence Launois has told the council, 'I live very close to the back of Dundrum church and fear deliveries will pass overhead, causing excessive noise pollution'.
A spokesman for Manna Air Delivery said that the company has never flown drones in Dundrum. He said, 'We are not planning to fly imminently in Dundrum."
He said: 'In Dundrum planning permission has been applied for as per requirements but we would likely not be flying in the next few months.'
He said that most recently, Manna Air Delivery has begun rolling out quieter propellers that reduce cruise-flight noise to 59 dBA—noticeably quieter than typical traffic outside a home, which averages between 70 and 75 dBA.
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