A new drone hub has been halted amid major opposition from residents in the capital.

Drone company Manna teamed up with Deliveroo in June to bring flying food deliveries to customers in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.

The company now wants to bring the same service to Dundrum, Co. Dublin – home of the Dundrum Shopping Centre.

But residents have complained about the potential noise and annoyance of drones coming and going.

A church beside the proposed hub also complained that the drones would interfere with funerals and other services.

Councillors have now paused planning permission for the hub at the rear of Dundrum’s Main Street, and will consider the proposal in six months, after the company has supplied more planning documents.

Manna’s planning application said it will use the drones alongside its existing rider delivery network, with a pilot phase to test demand.

The planning application – which seeks a five-year permission for a drone operations base next to the Holy Cross Church in the suburb – has been paused as councillors want “clarifications” from Manna.

Local Green Party councillor Robert Jones said planners have insisted Manna must address residents’ concerns, particularly around noise.

“The council is making it clear the community must be heard – and vague or generic responses won’t cut it,” he said.

Separately, the council’s biodiversity officer found the application ecologically inadequate, he added.

The officer’s report states biodiversity has been entirely overlooked and crucial information is missing – including flight paths, drone volumes and ecological impact assessments.

“These are not minor technical gaps,” said Cllr Jones.

“The application fundamentally fails to address how this drone operation could affect residents, wildlife and sensitive habitats.”

Cllr Jones has called on Manna boss Bobby Healy “to seize this moment to engage with the community”, adding: “The ball is in Mr Healy’s court. If Manna wants to be part of this community, they must come and talk to people on the ground, not just fly over them.”

Monsignor Paul Callan has lodged an objection on behalf of Holy Cross Church and Pastoral Centre, along with more than 150 submissions from other nearby residents and businesses.

Monsignor Callan’s objection said he is doing so “in the public interest of the community of over 4,700 homes” his archdiocese serves.

He stated: “The Holy Cross Church and Pastoral Centre offers a community network and support as a quiet respite to the demands of modern life.”

He said the drone hub “would create a hostile noise environment in the vicinity of the civic use of the church and would fail to enhance the creation of a sense of place and instead would dissipate the civic amenity and sense of place already afforded by the church as a significant landmark and use”.

He added: “The Holy Cross Church and the Pastoral Centre and the Parochial House have a requirement for a quiet noise environment in which to conduct Mass and other religious ceremonies and to sustain the uses of the Pastoral Centre...

“It is not just an issue of every now and then, it would be a constant and continuous stream of movement of drone flight, take-off and landing in the vicinity.”

Kevin Houston, head of regulation at Manna Air Delivery, told RTÉ in July: “We want to reassure the community that, as with all our existing locations, we do not fly over sensitive areas such as hospitals, cemeteries, funerals or schools during sensitive times.

“Independent sound testing conducted by Trinity College Dublin shows our drones produce noise levels comparable to passing traffic when at cruise altitude.”

He added: “We selected the Old Dundrum Town Centre car park for operations due to resident demand, its suitability for reducing local car-based delivery traffic, and the potential to offer a more sustainable and convenient alternative for the community and businesses.”

A Manna spokesman said: “We are surprised by Cllr Jones’s press release, as he has made no direct contact with us on behalf of his constituents.

“We have been actively engaging with public representatives in Dundrum – including engaged members of his party – to share the benefits of our service, such as reduced traffic congestion, lower CO2 emissions, and support for local retailers.

“We’ve taken time to listen to and respond to concerns.

“Throughout summer, we’ve made significant efforts to engage constructively with the community.

“Had Cllr Jones reached out, he’d be aware of a public community meeting scheduled for the end of this month, where our CEO Bobby Healy – a local Kilmacud resident – will be speaking directly with residents and stakeholders.

“We remain committed to open, meaningful dialogue and continued engagement with the Dundrum community.”