Removal of pylons will end ‘living hell’ for brothers

MORE than four years of “living hell” are to come to an end for two Waterford brothers following a Bord Pleanála ruling this week that the ESB must remove two steel pylons, which were erected by the company without planning permission.

Since the pylons were put up at Ballyneety by the ESB in 2000, Frankie, 52, and Monnie Drummy, 67, say they have been a nuisance by causing noise, particularly in bad weather.

The bachelor brothers have fought both Waterford County Council and the ESB on the issue and in a final arbitration Bord Pleanála has ruled that the 38kV steel masts must come down.

The board concluded that because of the height of the masts and their proximity to adjoining properties and the public road they were detrimental to the visual amenities of the area and would seriously injure the residential amenities of the Drummy home.

Bord Pleanala said keeping the masts up would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

The nightmare began for the Drummys when the ESB wrote to the county council asking if planning permission was needed to erect the masts for the purpose of strengthening the power line. The council confirmed that it was exempted development and that no permission was required.

Thus began what the Drummys pledged would be “a fight to the finish”.

They eventually sought the intervention of the Ombudsman, a decision they believe has helped to bring the protracted controversy to a conclusion.

Eventually it ended up with Bord Pleanála, who ruled that the masts did not constitute “exempted development”, and the ESB was subsequently notified by the local authority to either remove them or apply for their retention.

The company chose the latter option, but last February the council refused the application and the ESB then appealed that decision to Bord Pleanála.

This week the appeals board upheld the county council’s refusal, leaving the ESB with no alternative other than to take down the pylons.