1 June 2026
One of Ireland’s best-known General Aviation (GA) airfields has been put up for sale. The estate agent describes it as a ‘rare opportunity’ to acquire a licensed aerodrome within easy reach of Dublin.
Newcastle Aerodrome, located on the County Wicklow coast around 28 miles south of Dublin city centre, has been brought to market by JLL with a guide price of €16.2 million (£14m).
The sale includes approximately 141 acres of land, a 690-metre grass runway, hangars, offices and operational buildings, together with significant surrounding land that could support future aviation-related development.
For pilots, Newcastle is perhaps best known as one of Ireland’s most distinctive airfields. Its two grass runways run close to the coast with the Irish Sea, offering spectacular views on approach and making it a popular destination for visiting light aircraft.
Newcastle Aerodrome has a spectacular location. Image: Google Earth
The aerodrome’s location within Class G airspace allows unrestricted flight operations without the need for ATC clearance. The aerodrome is also approved as a customs-approved entry and exit point for flights to and from the UK.
The marketing material highlights the site’s strategic location close to Newcastle village, the N11 and M50 road networks, and it is commuting distance of Dublin. However, it is the future potential of the site that is likely to attract the greatest attention.
According to JLL, extensive planning work has already been undertaken, including proposals for a dedicated vertiport, a drone training and testing centre, additional hangar development and a professional flight training facility equipped with airline simulators.
Ollie Lyons, Senior Director of Development Land at JLL, said, “Newcastle Aerodrome represents a rare, unique combination of scale, location, and operational flexibility within the Irish aviation market. Its positioning within unrestricted airspace, coupled with proximity to Dublin, creates a compelling platform for both continued aviation and drone use and future innovation-led development.”
While the future ownership of the site remains uncertain, the listing is likely to be watched closely by Ireland’s general aviation community. Coastal airfields of this scale are increasingly rare, and Newcastle’s combination of established aviation infrastructure, unrestricted airspace and development potential makes it one of the most significant GA property offerings to come to market in recent years.
Have you flown into Newcastle Aerodrome? Let us know your memories of this unique Irish coastal airfield.
