The owner of 17th century Beaulieu House in Co Louth, described as the oldest unfortified house of its type in Ireland, has taken a High Court challenge to the granting of planning permission for a quay extension at the River Boyne estuary near her home.
Ms Gabriel Montgomery DeFreitas Waddington, of Beaulieu, Drogheda, Co Louth, claimed the 60-metre extension at Tom Roe's Point, Baltray Road, was likely to have a significant effect on a Special Protection Area in the estuary.
The area was designated under the European Birds Directive to protect wintering wildfowl and waders, she said, and the development was likely to impact on a Natural Heritage Area. She said increased traffic resulting from the development would cause pollution to the house.
In judicial review proceedings against An Bord Pleanala, with Drogheda Port Company and Louth County Council as notice parties, Ms Waddington is seeking to quash the decision of the planning board of May 14th, 1999, that granted permission for the 60-metre quay extension.
Outlining the case yesterday to Mr Justice Butler, Mr Paul Sreenan SC, for Ms Waddington, said Drogheda Port Company had, in 1996, secured planning permission to build a 100-metre riverside quay at Tom Roe's Point on the River Boyne.
An Environmental Impact Statement was submitted at the time which addressed the development and set out tonnage predictions up to the year 2000.
Then, in 1999, An Bord Pleanala granted permission for a 60-metre extension to the 100-metre quay and this was the decision Ms Waddington was concerned about.
The hearing continues today.