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Irish Times
a day ago
- Business
- Irish Times
‘Like living near a helicopter': Residents fed up at takeaway delivery drones buzzing over their homes
Imagine you are sitting outside on a clear day with the sun shining and a motorbike goes straight through your back garden. That is how one resident in Blanchardstown described the noise of the delivery drone service that operates in the Dublin 15 area. The sound of the drones has been likened to a tractor or lawnmower and described as being louder than nearby cars. 'It disrupts the peace of my home,' one local woman said. Another resident said he was unable to work from home due to the noise. READ MORE Noel Powell, an IT engineer, described it as 'like living close to a helicopter'. He said he also had privacy concerns about the drones being fitted with cameras. The service has been in operation for more than a year and has divided opinion locally. Fingal County Council says it has received 25 complaints from locals regarding the drones since January 2024 to last January, with 18 primarily about the noise. The drone service, operated by Manna , delivers takeaways, coffee and a whole host of other items weighing 4kg or less from a base at the Junction 6 complex close to Blanchardstown Shopping Centre. The drones – which are white with red and green flashing lights – deliver food 'usually in less than three minutes' and can fly up to 16km, the firm's website says. They fly at an altitude of up to 70 metres and reach speeds of up to 80km/h. The company said drone carried cameras for safety reasons, to confirm that the delivery zone is clear of obstacles. The camera activates when the drone hovers 14m above the ground upon arrival at the delivery location. 'The camera does not record, store, or transmit any data. We are fully compliant with GDPR [data protection] regulations,' a Manna spokesman said. Manna has received just under 80 complaints and has made 170,000 deliveries in the Dublin 15 area so far, he said, saying the company has taken each complaint 'seriously and responded to directly'. Another resident, Séamus Doyle, said his biggest concern with the drones in his area was noise levels. 'Even living close to a busy road, the drones are worse,' he said. The drones no longer fly over his home after he asked the company for an overflight exclusion, but they do go over the back wall of his garden. Resident Séamus Doyle: 'I've a feeling Dublin 15 could survive without drones.' Photograph: Dan Dennison 'Last summer, there was one every 10 minutes and they fly over and back, so about 12 an hour at its busiest,' Mr Doyle said. He said the drones were louder than his neighbour's petrol lawnmower. 'I've a feeling Dublin 15 could survive without drones,' he said. Ann-Marie, who did not wish to give her full name, first found out the service was in her area when a drone went over her home for the first time. 'It was a shock. I didn't know what it was when it first went past,' she said. Like Mr Doyle, she told the company she did not want the drones flying over her house. Noise is one of the biggest concerns for her. It's interesting technology that could be used for social good, but it's for delivering takeaways 'I'm surprised at how loud they are: they're louder than cars near our house. It has a real impact on people,' she said. 'Maybe if it was delivering blood transfusions or medicine, but it's takeaways. It's interesting technology that could be used for social good, but it's for delivering takeaways.' On that issue, a Manna spokesman said the company was running trials 'to help deliver defibrillators as part of an emergency response'. Peter, a local resident who did not wish to give his full name, said he was not against drones, which had 'great potential and great uses'. Instead, he felt strongly about the Manna drone landing site at Junction Six, which is located '90 metres directly from a housing development'. 'My issue is seeing everyone's drone delivery. There could be 30 an hour. I can hear them from my back garden and in the kitchen,' he said. 'It's like a motorbike overhead, it's intrusive and really annoying.' Not all feedback on the drones is negative, though. For kids' parties, it's quite exciting to see the drone coming and the delivery bag dropping down Manna customer Kieran O'Sullivan started using the company's services a couple of months ago to deliver his takeaway once a week. He described the process as 'very easy' and said the drone delivery service was better than other delivery services such as bicycle or car as 'it's way quicker, the food is hotter and fresher'. Ian Downes, the chief executive officer of Kahuna Pops, said the delivery drone system had been 'absolutely incredible' for the ice lollies brand since it started using Manna last year. Customer feedback cited how 'unique and exciting' it was, he said. Ian Downes, chief executive of Kahuna Pops, which uses the drone service to deliver ice treats. Photograph: Dan Dennison 'For kids' parties, it's quite exciting to see the drone coming and the bag dropping down. It's quite fun and that matches our brand; popsicles are meant to be fun,' he said. Ted Leddy, Fine Gael councillor for the Castleknock area, said there were mixed views within the community. 'There was the shock element at first, but now there are legitimate concerns around safety and privacy.' Complaints 'come and go in waves', but remain 'consistent', he said. He felt that local authorities and the company needed to come together to inform locals on the rules of drones. John Burtchaell, a People Before Profit Solidarity Party councillor in the Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart area, said he had received lots of complaints about the drones alongside 'one or two' positive messages about them 'being good and taking traffic off the road'. He describes it as a '50:1' ratio of those against the drones to those in favour. Manna says it is regulated to the highest standards by the Irish Aviation Authority 'Maybe if applications of drones were used for medication and emergency situations it would be important, but not McDonald's, coffee and doughnuts – it's not necessary.' John Walsh, Labour councillor for Castleknock, said he was 'concerned about the unrestricted use of delivery drones'. 'There are huge volumes of concerns. The only things I've heard more issues about are the housing crisis and the lack of school places,' he said. Councillor Walsh said a recent attempt by a criminal gang to drop a pipe bomb from a drone on its rivals in a housing estate in Finglas has deepened concerns. Labour Councillor John Walsh says regulations need improving. Photograph: Dan Dennison 'There is a gaping hole where regulation should be. Regulation has dragged massively behind innovation and technology,' he said. He said the current set-up was like 'cars on the road with no rules of the road, it's like the wild west'. 'The onus is on the Government to step up and local government to have authority to ensure democratic checks and balances are in system,' he said. Manna said it was 'regulated to the highest standards' by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) under the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. 'We undergo regular rigorous independent safety tests,' the spokesman said. An IAA spokesman said oversight and regulation of drone operations was risk-based. 'This means that the more complex the operation, the more restrictions and safety mitigations are required to ensure the safety of the public,' he said. The Department of Transport is working on a new policy framework for drones, which will set out strategy and priorities for the development of the sector in Ireland. A spokesman for the department said the framework was well advanced and was expected to be published in the coming months. Manna, which has plans to set up more sites in Dublin and Cork by the end of the year, said it welcomed all regulations and said it adhered 'to all those that we are required to'.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Locals blast James Corden for abandoning the derelict $11million mansion he owns in the UK
James Corden sparks fury among residents in England's Oxfordshire by 'abandoning' the $11million mansion he purchased to knock down and turn into a new family home. The actor had been granted approval to demolish the 1960s property, after months of delays and objections from the local council and historic charity English Heritage. He planned to replace the structure with a six-bedroom pile with a pool and spa. It was recently announced that the former Late Late Show host was set to return to the U.S. for a 17-week run in a Broadway play. Locals in the quaint English surrounding villages feared Corden's building project would never be completed. The landlady of a local pub said it would be 'sacrilege' for the star to leave the property empty: 'He should live in it or sell it so a family can live in it. It's shameful to buy anywhere with that sort of standing and then have no one benefit from living in it. He should be ashamed. It's not fair. Blot on the land: The entrance to the property's gated and shut with signs showing the successful planning application for the plot One resident said: 'People like James Corden think they can do what they want. We need people actually living in the properties around here and then contributing locally. Not having grand plans and then leaving the country. We need certainty. 'He created a huge fuss around wanting the plans to go through how he wanted. How he is leaving. What is going on? 'That would be a lovely house and surroundings for someone local.' Another local agreed that it would be a shame if the celebrity left the house derelict: 'It would be a shame if he left it empty, as we get a lot of characters wanting to live here.' A local builder said: 'He's a lovely bloke - but to just buy a house and never live in it, that's mental. But he's rich, so he lives a different lifestyle.' A representative for Corden said he had no plans to move back to the U.S. 'full time'. The star had been hoping to replace the swimming pool as part of his luxury redevelopment
The Independent
a day ago
- Lifestyle
- The Independent
Residents in scenic Costwolds village fight back against tourists
Residents of Castle Combe in the Cotswolds, known as 'the prettiest village in England,' are calling for a ban on tourist drones after a local resident reported being filmed while taking a bath. 'No drone zone' signs have been placed on homes, the local church, and the public car park due to constant drone flights over gardens and streets in the Wiltshire village. A retired police officer reported instances of drones hovering over gardens and near bathroom windows, leading to feelings of intrusion and verbal abuse when confronting pilots. Police were called last month on a drone pilot who verbally abused locals and allegedly filmed children playing in a back garden. A Wiltshire Council sign in the public car park warns drone pilots that using devices in areas where people expect privacy may violate Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) guidelines.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Outrage after travellers destroy greenbelt field and turn it into 'concrete jungle' without planning permission in less than 72 hours
A group of travellers have provoked outrage after they razed a field on greenbelt land without planning permission and turned it into a gravel car park - in just 72 hours. Diggers and excavators moved onto the plot, in the village of Burtonwood, near Warrington, Cheshire, and started the unauthorised work over the Bank Holiday weekend last month. They covered half the field in hardcore and also erected a 10ft-high wooden fence around the boundary. It is understood the travellers bought the six-acre site legitimately and the sale went through on Friday May 23. Work began just hours later, at 6pm that evening, and villagers reported excavators and tipper trucks working through the night to remove soil and replace it with concrete, completing the job in less than three days. Before and after aerial photographs show the extent of the destruction and more than a dozen caravans and other vehicles have since moved onto the site. Although a retrospective planning application has now been submitted to Warrington Borough Council, local councillor Stuart Mann confirmed an investigation had been launched following complaints from local residents, who say the land is green belt and should be for agricultural use only. Mr Mann said he had received 'hundreds' of emails and more than 50 people turned up at his surgery to express concerns about the development. He confirmed planners had issued an enforcement notice to the travellers but admitted the issue could take weeks to resolve. Cheshire police and Scottish Power, who supply electricity to the area and investigate unauthorised attempts to tap into the mains supply, have also been informed, he said. 'I have met with the chief executive of Warrington Borough Council and the MP for Warrington North to raise our ongoing concerns regarding the development on Farmers Lane,' he said. 'I have received, from borough council planning and enforcement teams, that a retrospective planning application has been received, but that it is yet to be validated. 'Any such application has to be determined on its relative merits. This will take a number of weeks.' Nigel Catlow, vice chairman, of Burtonwood and Westbrook Parish Council, described it as a 'very serious and fast-moving issue.' In a letter to the council, he said: 'The landowners appear to be in serious breach, making the most of the Bank Holiday and the council being on a long weekend. 'This is of great concern to many residents and council taxpayers in Burtonwood and the wider area of Warrington West.' Locals took to social media to express their concerns, with one saying: 'The transformation is shocking.' Another, Jacqui Worrall, wrote: 'Breach!?.. it's a s****** concrete jungle!!!!' While Ray Houghton added: 'Blame the person who sold the land to them in the first place. The people doing this have no respect for the laws.' Mr Mann said it was 'important for it to be known the people who have done this own the land.' 'Concerns have been raised and the council needs to ensure that necessary checks and balances have been put in place,' he added. A spokesman for Warrington Borough Council confirmed that it had 'established a priority enforcement case' over the situation in Burtonwood. 'We have received a report about a potential breach of planning on land off Farmers Lane in Burtonwood and are currently investigating the issue.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Twelve drivers arrested in five days in new crackdown
A dozen people have been arrested for drink and drug driving, as police target offenders in a rural area. Cumbria police said the arrests were made in the Eden area in the last five days. Ten drivers were found under the influence of drugs and two above the legal alcohol limit. "Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is one of the 'Fatal Four' - which are the four main behaviours which cause death or serious injury on the road network alongside speeding, using a mobile phone at the wheel and not wearing a seatbelt," a spokesman for the force said. They added the majority of the people arrested were local residents and there would be more road patrols in Eden and the South Lakes. The force said: "Officers will continue to hold those who are putting other people in danger to account." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Rise in under-25s drink and drug driving arrests Police made 1,300 drink and drug driving arrests Cumbria police
