Almost ten years on since it was first mooted, a strategic development zone (SDZ ) for Ireland West Airport Knock could be about to get approval, the chief executive of Mayo County Council, Peter Hynes said this week.
Mr Hynes was speaking at the council's February meeting which was held in Ireland West Airport Knock, the first meeting of the council in the airport since they became part-owners of it last year. He told the elected members that there was progress being made behind the scenes and that there had been discussions with the relevant government departments about it, he said that “Indictions are positive and while it is not in our gift to say categorically it will happen, that is a matter for the Cabinet, we expect a positive recommendation to go to Cabinet in the not too distant future,”
In 2007 the council first looked into getting SDZ status for lands around the airport after planning permission was refused for an office block that was due to house the decentralised office of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, under the then proposed decentralisation scheme. However getting a SDZ designation for the airport has been a work in progress for the past decade, with a number of other plans needing to be carried out in the lead up.
