Green light for phone mast after council planning refusal overturned

A KERRY County Council decision to refuse planning permission for a mobile phone mast along one of the country’s main tourist routes has been overturned by An Bord Pleanala.

O2 Communications has been given the all-clear to erect an 11.5-metre mast close to the village of Caherdaniel, on the Ring of Kerry.

A nine-metre mast had been on the site since 2001 but the company had to apply for retention under the conditions of the original planning permission.

In granting planning, Bord Pleanála has, yet again, over-ridden a policy in the Kerry County Development that such masts should not be allowed within a kilometre of residential buildings including houses, shops, hospitals and schools.

There are two houses within 100 metres of the mast which is also located less than a kilometre from Caherdaniel village.

In her report, Bord Pleanala inspector Aisling Cunnane said that, as the base station had been built prior to the adoption of the one-kilometre policy, the policy should not apply to previously permitted development.

She also suggested the policy was “unreasonable, unjustified and unnecessary” and was in conflict with government policy and the guidelines issued by the Department of the Environment.

“The site is highly significant in that it provides high quality coverage to Caherdaniel along with Derrynane, the N70 and a major section of the tourist route, the Ring of Kerry,” Ms Cunnane added.

She also pointed out that O2 had stated that, if granted permission for the new mast, it would not need any further masts in the area. But, in the event of a refusal, O2 would require a number of additional masts in the area.

Several members of Kerry County Council were opposed to the masts being close to dwellings, citing concerns on health grounds. However, Ms Cunnane commented: “There is no accompanying rationale to support this policy.”

O2, meanwhile, argued the one kilometre policy was impractical and unfeasible in a rural area where one-off housing was prevalent. It also maintained that the policy conflicted with other policies in the Kerry development plan, which acknowledged that current telecommunications infrastructure was deficient.

The Caherdaniel mast is on an elevated site in a scenic area but Ms Cunnane felt it would not adversely affect the visual amenities of the area. She said the site was “not even remotely visible” from the N70 Ring of Kerry road.

Bord Pleanála has already overturned several of Kerry County Council’s decisions refusing planning for masts because of the one-kilometre policy.

Planning applications to retain existing masts, erected more than five years ago, are currently coming before the council. Telecommunications companies are warning that large areas of the county could be left without reception if they are not allowed to retain the masts.

But, while O2 and other companies say masts are necessary to meet the public’s demands for improved reception, communities throughout Kerry are continuing to oppose them.