Widow sues An Bord Pleanála over permission for mast on her land

An Bord Pleanala overturned the local authority decision in March of this year, albeit on foot of an inspector’s report which recommended the initial decision should be overruled but which also stated that doing so would “be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area”.  File Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

An Bord Pleanála is being sued in the High Court over a decision to grant permission to construct a telecommunications mast on the land of a widow, allegedly without seeking her consent.

Kathleen Pearse, a native of Calry, a townland on the outskirts of Sligo Town, has lodged judicial review proceedings against An Bord Pleanála (ABP) and the mast applicant, Cignal, stating that her constitutional rights had been breached as a licence to build the mast on a section of her property adjoining the R278 road was given by ABP without her knowledge.