has taken its fight to build a new passenger terminal to the High Court.
Forbes J is being asked to quash the decision of the secretary of state for communities and local government to refuse planning permission for a new £7m passenger terminal.
The airport, which was bought by Irish-US property development jv Cafco-C in January 2006, first submitted a planning application for the 10,000 sq ft terminal almost five years ago. It believes that the new terminal will enable it to handle up to two million passengers per year.
It argues that the secretary of state had refused permission contrary to the views of all relevant statutory bodies that were charged with administering the area surrounding the airport.
According to papers filed at the court detailing the 19 grounds of challenge, the planning inspector’s report, upon which the secretary of state based her decision, “is riddled with manifest errors, and is characterised by repeated and countless failures to deal properly or at all with the extensive evidence that was heard at the inquiry”.
Issues that Forbes J is considering include aviation noise, sustainability and the permitted development rights that the airport already enjoys.
The hearing is expected to last five days, with a result not due until September.
If the judge overturns the secretary of state’s decision, a further inquiry will be held to decide whether permission for the building should be granted.