LAST UPDATE | 20 Oct

A NEW ERA of aircraft spotting is coming to Dublin Airport, as the site has received long-awaited approval for a new Aircraft Observation Facility.

The facility will be built at ‘The Mound’ on Old Airport Road just south of the airport, an informal plane spotting spot that’s proved popular with aviation enthusiasts.

An application for an upgrade to the site was submitted by Dublin Airport in June last year to Fingal County Council, with approval granted on Thursday.

The site will include an elevated viewing platform with sheltered viewing structure, seating and tables.

Conceptual artwork of the new site. Dublin Airport Dublin Airport

It will also include improved parking facilities (currently there is very limited space for vehicles to park at The Mound), with 22 car parking spaces in the current plans.

Dublin Airport has promised “clear views of both runways” from the new site.

In a statement, the airport described the facility as a “game-changer” for plane spotters and aviation enthusiasts.

Aviation enthusiasts pictured at 'The Mound' in August.

“The upgraded observation area will provide a comfortable, safe, and accessible space with sheltered viewing, seating, dedicated parking,” the statement read.

‘A growing hobby’

Aviation journalist Shaun Dunne, known online as Shaun’s Aviation, told The Journal that the upgrade to The Mound was “a very welcome change”.

“What we have right now is essentially a big dirt hill, so this will make such a difference,” Dunne said.

Dunne, who regularly goes plane-spotting at Dublin Airport, said that aviation enthusiasts had been calling for an upgrade to The Mound for years.

Plane-spotters at The Mound. The Journal The Journal

“I’ve had my fair share of near-miss falls on the hill, and on a busy day it can get very crowded,” Dunne said.

“It’s also 20 minutes from the nearest bus stop, so it’s currently difficult to get to – you have to walk either on the road or in a ditch to get there. The new site will definitely be more accessible.”

“It’s great news for all of us, and might encourage more people to take up plane spotting. It’s definitely a growing hobby in the last few years,” Dunne added.

Kenny Jacobs, DAA Chief Executive, said the approval of the Airport’s planning application is “good news”.

“Once we’ve worked through the planning conditions, we’ll progress delivery, fully funded by DAA, and keep the community updated on timelines so people can enjoy a proper plane‑spotting experience at ‘The Mound’ for years to come,” Jacobs said.