Nuisance noise and the threat or prospect of more noise from this theme park favourite has been the cause of local residents objecting to previous planning applications for a new €15.5 million rollercoaster.
Regular readers here will know that we have been following the Tayto Park rollercoaster story – or rather, stories – with interest over the past year (link to previous articles here: (quieter rollercoaster for tayto park). Nuisance noise and the threat or prospect of more noise from this theme park favourite has been the cause of local residents objecting to previous planning applications for a new €15.5 million rollercoaster. The local authority initially granted planning permission, however, these objections based on noise concerns were taken to An Bord Pleanala where they were upheld and planning was subsequently denied.
Prior to the Christmas break, Tayto Park lodged a new application with Meath County Council for project ‘Coaster 2021’, setting out the specifications of the proposed 31 metre high and 748 metre long Suspended Thrill Coaster and a second, 24.2 metre high 238 metre long, Family Boomerang ride. The planning application states that failure to provide the new rollercoasters could bring the longer-term viability of the theme park into question.
Significantly, this latest planning application addresses the noise concerns of local residents by giving details of no fewer than 14 separate noise reduction measures employed by the rollercoaster designers. Despite these measures, fresh objections have been lodged to the most recent planning application. According to an article in the Irish Times, local residents maintain that the planned rollercoaster “will have a serious negative long term impact on our peaceful enjoyment of our home and the protection of the natural environment… We are local residents, living approximately 700 metres from the entrance to Tayto Park”. One of the main sources of frustration is that “aside from proposals to make some noise abatement modifications to the development, the proposed new development is the same as the previous application. In this regard, all of our previously stated concerns about a development of this scale and intensive nature still stand. Any modifications proposed in this application do not alter any of its substantive deficiencies”.
At Sonitus Systems, we are very much aware that noise monitoring and ongoing management can be a challenge for entertainment venue operators. Theme parks, in particular, require significant noise-reduction planning, monitoring and daily management. In addition to the monitoring hardware and specialist advice, active and meaningful community engagement is an essential component of any noise management strategy.
The team at Sonitus Systems routinely works on environmental, industrial, construction and entertainment noise management projects to reduce prolonged exposure to noise for residents. We work closely with our customers to help them capture the sound level data they require and turn it into the information they need. When it comes to noise, we can supply solutions that allow professionals to manage noise without dedicating extensive resources to the task. We provide the instrumentation and tools to measure and control sound levels so that noise is well managed.
Contact us to find out more about Sonitus Systems noise monitoring solutions.