Planning appeal against NCT test Centre by TD was rejected

A planning appeal by TD Paul Murphy to restrict late opening hours at an NCT test centre in Tallaght has been rejected with alterations.

The council had granted planning permission in June 2025 for retention of a marshals hut at the Greenhills NCT Centre on the Greenhills Road, and for revised opening hours that would have seen the centre open as late as 11.30pm on weekdays.

Dublin South West TD Paul Murphy (PBP-S) lodged an appeal over the “proposed new unsocial opening hours” due to “significant noise pollution” for residents living along the Tymonville Road.

“While neighbouring residents have no objection to the retention of the existing marshals hut, they and I are firmly opposed to the extension of the opening hours that has been proposed,” the appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála, lodged on July 18, read.

“This has been an ongoing issue over many years because the back of the Applus building is around 15 metres from the back of residents’ homes and there is significant noise pollution during the operating hours,” Deputy Murphy noted.

“The noise pollution is substantial and ongoing whenever the centre is open. It includes the noise of cars revving, horns beeping, music from the cars, what sounds like an air conditioning system and people shouting loudly to each other,” he continued.

“The proposed new opening hours represent a very big increase in hours open, in particular at unsocial times, and would be very disturbing to residents.”

The appeal was submitted in Deputy Murphy’s name, with the names of 17 residents from the area also attached.

The new opening hours proposed by Applus Inspection Service Ltd were “Monday 07.30 – 17:30; Tuesday 07:30 – 23:30; Wednesday 07:30 – 23:00; Thursday 07:30 – 23:00; Friday 07:30 – 21:00 and Saturday 08:00 – 19:30”.

The centre would remain closed on Sundays and bank holidays.

In their decision to grant retention and permission, An Coimisiún Pleanála found that with regard to “the land use zoning for the site, the pattern of development in the area, and the established use of the site for car testing operations, it is considered that the retention of the Marshals Hut, and alteration to the site’s operating hours… would not seriously injure the residential amenities of property in the vicinity”.

However, they restricted the opening hours permitted to 7.30am-9pm only on Monday to Friday and 8.30am-7.30pm on Saturdays only, “in the interest of residential amenities and the proper planning and sustainable development of the area”.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme