Parents vow to fight phone mast planning approval

PARENTS of pupils at a Waterford primary school say they’re going to appeal a decision by the local council to grant retention for a mobile phone mast located within 180 metres from the junior infants’ classroom.

Waterford City Council this week gave the thumbs up to the Meteor mobile phone mast, located on the grounds of Ballygunner Hurling Club on the edge of the city. Over 20 objections were lodged by parents, the school, community groups and residents of the area.

But despite the protests, the city council granted the retention, subject to five conditions. They include a review of the development within five years, a ban on further instalments on the site without prior notice and restrictions on lighting accompanying the mast.

One parent, Ann Marie Jackman, says the matter will be appealed to An Bord Pleanála. “We will fight this to the bitter end. We are doing this for our children. I am both shocked and very angry. There’s a lot of disappointment because people in this community put their trust in the planning authority to do the right thing.

“Further information had previously been requested by the planners on the basis that this development conflicted with planning guidelines and in the retention application, the Ballygunner Club or Meteor had failed to justify their position in relation to this.

“In Kerry, the planning authorities will not allow a mobile phone mast be erected within a kilometre of a school for health reasons and it’s the same elsewhere around the country. In Waterford we have the situation where a GAA club allowed a phone company to move onto a site beside a national school and put up a mast.

“It’s a disgraceful decision and a lot of people will be taking the matter to An Bord Pleanála,” she vowed.

Local senator Brendan Kenneally said the decision to grant retention was not a good one. “We don’t know what impact this mobile phone mast will have on people’s health. We should have erred on the side of caution, particularly where children’s health is concerned.”

Ballygunner GAA club declined to comment.

A total of 23 objections/submissions were lodged with the city council.

Among the objectors were the Parents’ Association at site’s neighbouring St Mary’s National School, its principal Michael White and also private residents of Ballygunner and the surrounding areas.

In early July, a fire, which was subsequently investigated by gardaí, completely destroyed the antenna.