Bog air monitoring unit gets go-ahead

An air monitoring unit on “an uncontaminated site” occupying six acres within a plain of blanket bog in a national heritage area in the northwest of Valentia Island has been given the go-ahead.

The matter had been appealed by An Taisce, and there was strong opposition from local environmentalists.

The board said the facility, which will include a low- rise building and two 10m high masts and other infrastructure, was “of national importance”.

The site, at Bray, Valentia, met the special requirements for the location of this particular development. “[These include] avoidance of exposure to pollutants, and for appropriate topographical conditions and clear exposure to Atlantic winds, to the consequent imperative need for an isolated coastal location,” the board ruled in going against the advice of its own planning inspector.

An Tasice said the masts and sunken building would introduce “an industrial-type building” into an unspoilt environment.

The site, which comprises mainly of blanket bog, is designated a special protected area for seven species of birds.

The unit monitors background pollution coming in over the Atlantic and is a key part of a worldwide network, monitoring climate change and greenhouse gases as well as weather.