Tayto Park owner says new rollercoaster won't be noisy
The owner of Tayto Park said that his proposed new €15.5m rollercoaster won’t be heard by neighbours. Raymond Coyle said the new rollercoaster comes with a series of measures aimed at eliminating any noise for nearby residents.
“There will be screams, but they will be drowned out,” he said.
Last July, An Bord Pleanála turned down planning permission for Mr Coyle’s previous rollercoaster plan due mainly to noise impacts from rollercoaster passengers’ screams on nearby residents.
Four residents, Jeremy Butcher and Suzanne Galwey, as well as Donal Greene and Clare Smith, had brought the case before An Bord Pleanála after Meath County Council gave the plan the green light.
Mr Coyle said he was “shocked” by the An Bord Pleanála decision and couldn’t believe it when he was told. He has now lodged plans for the new project with Meath County Council. He said that the new rollercoaster “has the wow factor because we do need to keep the magic going. It is the first of its type in Europe”.
The Coaster 2021 project includes a 31-metre high so-called suspended thrill coaster and a 24.2-metre family boomerang ride. Planning documents lodged with the plans claim if the rollercoaster doesn’t proceed “the longer-term viability of the park would be brought into question”.
The new plan contains 14 noise reduction measures drawn up by Dutch rollercoaster maker Vekoma which has made rollercoasters across the world, including Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain for Disney.
The documents with the council say that Vekoma is “confident that the proposed Coaster 2021 will not have a noise impact within the setting of Tayto Park”.
The measures include three noise retention tunnels to mitigate patrons’ screams on the rollercoaster at height and high intensity track positions.
