BRISTOW Ireland have been granted planning permission for an accommodation building at Shannon Airport.
The helicopter provider, a subsidiary of Bristow Group primarily focuses on search and rescue (SAR) operations and was awarded a government contract in 2023 to deliver services for the Irish Coast Guard for a period of ten years.
In March, Bristow applied to Clare County Council for “the demolition/removal of existing accommodation structure (c. 60 sqm), and construction of a one-storey structure located between the existing Search and Rescue (SAR) Hangars 3 and 4”.
The new development will be comprised of “SAR on shift accommodation with ancillary facilities including bedrooms, kitchen, operations room, changing rooms, and storerooms”.
Bristow Ireland currently operates six specialised AW189 helicopters from their bases in Shannon, Waterford, Sligo and Dublin Weston Airport. The firm provides two King Air fixed-wing helicopters from its base in Shannon which are frequently used in SAR operations. The helicopters are also used for environmental monitoring and provide support for long-range medical evacuations.
The Irish Aviation Authority stated that they had no objection to the development. TOT architects, who designed the building, stated in the planning application that “it is critical that the development be completed in a timely fashion. Consequently, it is essential that planning permission be obtained at the earliest possible opportunity”.
The structure will be positioned between hangers 3 and 4. The urgency of construction is designed to have as little impact on SAR services as possible and ensure seamless access for crew members.
The application has received no objections and was approved by the IAA and Road Design Office. Clare County Council granted permission for the development under the conditions that it adhere to environmental safety and aviation safety guidelines.
Demolition of the old structure and construction of the new accommodation can now begin with the local authority’s approval. The new facility will strengthen the emergency response infrastructure within the county and ensure SAR teams can continue to operate at full capacity.
