CLARE CO Council has refused planning permission to Hutchinson 3G Ireland Ltd to construct a 120ft mast near Cratloe in southeast Co Clare due to fears it would endanger or interfere with aircraft and pose a risk of a major accident.
In making the decision the council took into account an objection by the Irish Aviation Authority against the development, which was proposed for a site six miles from Shannon airport.
This year Hutchinson 3G Ireland Ltd lodged plans for the development to extend broadband coverage in the area. The six radio dishes on the mast were also required to connect with national broadband scheme sites in the west of Ireland.
The council said the proposed development would endanger or interfere with aircraft safety, the safety of navigation and would pose a risk of a major accident.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label mobile phone mast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mobile phone mast. Show all posts
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
Monday, 27 August 2007
Church may add mobile phone mast to bell tower
A mobile phone mast on a Church of Ireland church has caused consternation among residents of south Dublin. Locals fear the equipment planned for the church bell tower of St Matthias Church on Church Road in Ballybrack could damage their health and the health of children in a nearby school.
Mobile phone company Vodafone have applied for planning permission for the erection of four antennae and radio dishes and associated equipment cabinets in the church tower.
"It defies belief that they are going to put these masts into the belfry of the church," says John Kavanagh who lives nearby.
"It is going to be beaming down on all of us and all our kids. I am opposed to this on health grounds because there is no conclusive evidence that these things are not dangerous in the long-term.
"I just think that there are better places to site these things rather than beside a school and in the middle of a residential area. I am a bit shocked that the church are considering this."
Last year, local councillors Tom Kivlehan (GP) and John Bailey (FG) proposed that the county council should review its policy and phone masts would not be located closer than 600 metres to a school, childcare facility, residential area or nursing home.
The Sunday Independent asked the Church of Ireland what consultation they had with residents about the mast.
In a statement, they said: "The notification process to local residents is facilitated through the application for planning permission made by Vodafone through the local authority."
We also asked Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to comment on local wishes that they defer the decision on the mast until the Dail committee had issued its findings.
A council spokesperson said: "The application will be considered in accordance with the Planning and Development Act, and the council cannot pre-empt the decision."
Irish Independent
Mobile phone company Vodafone have applied for planning permission for the erection of four antennae and radio dishes and associated equipment cabinets in the church tower.
"It defies belief that they are going to put these masts into the belfry of the church," says John Kavanagh who lives nearby.
"It is going to be beaming down on all of us and all our kids. I am opposed to this on health grounds because there is no conclusive evidence that these things are not dangerous in the long-term.
"I just think that there are better places to site these things rather than beside a school and in the middle of a residential area. I am a bit shocked that the church are considering this."
Last year, local councillors Tom Kivlehan (GP) and John Bailey (FG) proposed that the county council should review its policy and phone masts would not be located closer than 600 metres to a school, childcare facility, residential area or nursing home.
The Sunday Independent asked the Church of Ireland what consultation they had with residents about the mast.
In a statement, they said: "The notification process to local residents is facilitated through the application for planning permission made by Vodafone through the local authority."
We also asked Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to comment on local wishes that they defer the decision on the mast until the Dail committee had issued its findings.
A council spokesperson said: "The application will be considered in accordance with the Planning and Development Act, and the council cannot pre-empt the decision."
Irish Independent
Wednesday, 18 July 2007
TV disruption: phone mast to be turned off
A METEOR mobile phone mast, believed to have disrupted scores of television signals in Mitchelstown, Co Cork, is to be switched off tomorrow.
Last week, county manager, Martin Riordan, said he was preparing a legal case against the mobile phone company and that in the interim he would ask it to switch off the mast.
His comments came as more than 50 people affected by disruptions protested outside County Hall.
At a meeting of the council’s northern division yesterday, councillor Kevin O’Keeffe said he’d been informed by the local authority’s enforcement section that Meteor had agreed to turn off the mast.
“I welcome the fact that Meteor has finally succumbed to people power. I hope it sends out a message to other private companies that this council will get tough on those who flout its planning laws,” he said.
He added Meteor should give compensation to people whose reception was affected.
It also emerged that the council’s legal case against Meteor will take place on September 7.
Meanwhile, councillors were told that another mast — which isn’t illegal — was believed to be disrupting television signals in the Millstreet area.
Councillor Marie “The Shamrock” Murphy claimed that the PermaNET broadband mast, situated in the Clara Mountains, had affected television reception in a number of homes, including her own.
“I cannot receive (RTÉ) channel one properly. I also know of some people who have problems with both (RTÉ) channels. There have been reception problems in Millstreet in the past, but they have got a lot worse since this mast was put up. I’ve no doubt the mast is responsible,” she said.
PermaNET said it had been licensed by Comreg to provide broadband services to people in the Millstreet area and was using a prescribed frequency which shouldn’t interfere with television reception.
The company added, however, it would investigate complaints made to it.
Locals also claim that overhead cables running to the mountain-top mast are a blight on the landscape.
PermaNET said that in its planning application it was never given the option of any method other than overhead cables to deliver power to the mast.
Even if it had the option of burying cables, the company said, this would be too costly to make the project economically viable.
Irish Examiner
Last week, county manager, Martin Riordan, said he was preparing a legal case against the mobile phone company and that in the interim he would ask it to switch off the mast.
His comments came as more than 50 people affected by disruptions protested outside County Hall.
At a meeting of the council’s northern division yesterday, councillor Kevin O’Keeffe said he’d been informed by the local authority’s enforcement section that Meteor had agreed to turn off the mast.
“I welcome the fact that Meteor has finally succumbed to people power. I hope it sends out a message to other private companies that this council will get tough on those who flout its planning laws,” he said.
He added Meteor should give compensation to people whose reception was affected.
It also emerged that the council’s legal case against Meteor will take place on September 7.
Meanwhile, councillors were told that another mast — which isn’t illegal — was believed to be disrupting television signals in the Millstreet area.
Councillor Marie “The Shamrock” Murphy claimed that the PermaNET broadband mast, situated in the Clara Mountains, had affected television reception in a number of homes, including her own.
“I cannot receive (RTÉ) channel one properly. I also know of some people who have problems with both (RTÉ) channels. There have been reception problems in Millstreet in the past, but they have got a lot worse since this mast was put up. I’ve no doubt the mast is responsible,” she said.
PermaNET said it had been licensed by Comreg to provide broadband services to people in the Millstreet area and was using a prescribed frequency which shouldn’t interfere with television reception.
The company added, however, it would investigate complaints made to it.
Locals also claim that overhead cables running to the mountain-top mast are a blight on the landscape.
PermaNET said that in its planning application it was never given the option of any method other than overhead cables to deliver power to the mast.
Even if it had the option of burying cables, the company said, this would be too costly to make the project economically viable.
Irish Examiner
Wednesday, 11 July 2007
Cancer survivor among residents opposing mobile phone mast proposal
A WOMAN who fought breast cancer through 18 chemotherapy treatments
has joined opposition to the siting of a mobile phone mast near her home
owing to concerns that the mast could pose a health hazard.
Hutchinson 3G wants to erect the mast near Clonlara on the outskirts of
Limerick.
Kay Broderick, who has fought cancer, said: “All the studies on these things
might not show they are dangerous but they haven’t shown they aren’t
dangerous either. I don’t think it is safe.”
She said she was just one of many locals opposed to the mast.
Clare County Council has sought additional information from the mast
company about the mast.
Ms Broderick said: “I think everyone around here objected to it. This mast
would be fairly tall.
“There’s another person on our road who is also recovering from cancer and I
don’t think anyone wants to be living underneath it.”
She also claimed that the planning site notice was also located too far from
the roadway to read it.
Another local resident David McCullogh said that locals hadreceived very little
information about the proposed mast and were worried about it.
He said: “We are primarily against it because we have health and safety
concerns.
“We just don’t know enough about it.”
Local councillor Pascal Fitzgerald said masts were springing up all over the
area without proper consultation.
Mr Fitzgerald said: “I don’t like the way the companies are going about it. I
walk that road all the time and I wouldn’t have known about the proposal
except that one resident spotted it and called me."
Jimmy Woulfe
© Irish Examiner
has joined opposition to the siting of a mobile phone mast near her home
owing to concerns that the mast could pose a health hazard.
Hutchinson 3G wants to erect the mast near Clonlara on the outskirts of
Limerick.
Kay Broderick, who has fought cancer, said: “All the studies on these things
might not show they are dangerous but they haven’t shown they aren’t
dangerous either. I don’t think it is safe.”
She said she was just one of many locals opposed to the mast.
Clare County Council has sought additional information from the mast
company about the mast.
Ms Broderick said: “I think everyone around here objected to it. This mast
would be fairly tall.
“There’s another person on our road who is also recovering from cancer and I
don’t think anyone wants to be living underneath it.”
She also claimed that the planning site notice was also located too far from
the roadway to read it.
Another local resident David McCullogh said that locals hadreceived very little
information about the proposed mast and were worried about it.
He said: “We are primarily against it because we have health and safety
concerns.
“We just don’t know enough about it.”
Local councillor Pascal Fitzgerald said masts were springing up all over the
area without proper consultation.
Mr Fitzgerald said: “I don’t like the way the companies are going about it. I
walk that road all the time and I wouldn’t have known about the proposal
except that one resident spotted it and called me."
Jimmy Woulfe
© Irish Examiner
Protesters picket County Hall as Meteor defies council over phone mast
MORE than 50 people who held a protest outside County Hall yesterday
heard that Cork County Council is to take a mobile phone company to court to
force it to remove a controversial mast.
Carrying placards which asked the local authority to protect its people, the
protesters said they were deeply concerned about the continuing operation of
the Meteor mobile phone mast at New Square, in Mitchelstown.
While health concerns were their major priority, the protesters added that
many of them had been unable to receive RTÉ TV signals since the mast
became operational at the end of last January.
The mast is placed on Mrs Quinn’s charity shop.
Sheila Corbett, a mother of three young girls, is fearful for her children’s
health. One of her girls held a placard stating she couldn’t see Dora or Barney
because of Meteor.
“My grandmother lives in the area. She’s terribly worried about her health and
has no TV reception,” Diarmuid Mullins said.
Deputy Ned O’Keeffe, who attended the protest, said: “I’m here objecting to
this mast on health and safety grounds.”
Standing orders were suspended to discuss the issue.
Cllrs Kevin O’Keeffe and Frank O’Flynn explained that, on June 5, officials
decided the mast needed planning permission and Cork County Council
issued an enforcement order.
Meteor has applied for retention, but, it was stated yesterday that this
application isn’t valid.
Cllr Liam O’Doherty said: “They [Meteor] could take this to An Bord Pleanála
and that could take 12 to 15 months. The least residents can expect it to have
the mast turned off.”ഊCounty manager Martin Riordan said officials were preparing to take Meteor
to court because the company hadn’t complied with the enforcement order
issued in Mitchelstown.
Sean O’Riordan
© Irish Examiner
heard that Cork County Council is to take a mobile phone company to court to
force it to remove a controversial mast.
Carrying placards which asked the local authority to protect its people, the
protesters said they were deeply concerned about the continuing operation of
the Meteor mobile phone mast at New Square, in Mitchelstown.
While health concerns were their major priority, the protesters added that
many of them had been unable to receive RTÉ TV signals since the mast
became operational at the end of last January.
The mast is placed on Mrs Quinn’s charity shop.
Sheila Corbett, a mother of three young girls, is fearful for her children’s
health. One of her girls held a placard stating she couldn’t see Dora or Barney
because of Meteor.
“My grandmother lives in the area. She’s terribly worried about her health and
has no TV reception,” Diarmuid Mullins said.
Deputy Ned O’Keeffe, who attended the protest, said: “I’m here objecting to
this mast on health and safety grounds.”
Standing orders were suspended to discuss the issue.
Cllrs Kevin O’Keeffe and Frank O’Flynn explained that, on June 5, officials
decided the mast needed planning permission and Cork County Council
issued an enforcement order.
Meteor has applied for retention, but, it was stated yesterday that this
application isn’t valid.
Cllr Liam O’Doherty said: “They [Meteor] could take this to An Bord Pleanála
and that could take 12 to 15 months. The least residents can expect it to have
the mast turned off.”ഊCounty manager Martin Riordan said officials were preparing to take Meteor
to court because the company hadn’t complied with the enforcement order
issued in Mitchelstown.
Sean O’Riordan
© Irish Examiner
Wednesday, 6 June 2007
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.
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.
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