Waterford Airport has been granted planning permission by An Bórd Pleanála for an extension of its runway.
aterford City and County Council applied for permission for the extension two years ago and the runway is set to increase to 2,287 from 1,433 metres.
It is hoped the funding can now be raised to complete the project and make the airport viable and attractive to commercial airline carriers. No commercial flights have operated at the airport in more than five years.
Sinn Féin TD for Waterford David Cullinane welcomed the news and said the airport had “no sustainable future without a runway extension or commercial flights.”
“A runway extension will make it easier for airport management to attract commercial carriers,” Deputy Cullinane said.
“Hopefully this is a step forward in a process that will see commercial flights again take off from our airport. Waterford Airport is critical to Waterford and the region.
“The next step must now be to secure the funding to complete the works and, as a consequence, send a signal that Waterford Airport is serious about expansion.”
Mr Cullinane said the government now needs to provide the support that will be called for in the future as the southeast region attempts to expand, beginning with the airport.
“The funding for the runway extension will come from a mix of sources. However there is more that government will be called on to do in the time ahead,” he added.
It’s anticipated the runway project will cost in the region of €12m to complete.
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