An Bord Pleanála refuses permission for 'overbearing' telecommunications mast in Kerry village

Organiser Michelle Keane with members of the Peoples Republic of Knocknagoshel outside the offices of An Board Pleanála in Dublin. 

An Bord Pleanála has refused permission for the construction of an “overbearing” telecommunications mast in the picturesque Kerry village of Knocknagoshel which would have ‘depreciated’ local property prices.

Residents of the rural beauty spot had previously complained about the “obsession” mast applicant Towercom allegedly had with building the controversial proposed 16.5m-tall structure in the centre of the village.

Applications to construct the mast at the former Eir exchange in the village had been refused on three occasions over the past four years by the local authority.

Residents had opposed the location of the mast, which is close to the local school, houses, and other amenities, and which planners in Kerry in denying permission had said would be "highly obtrusive" to the local landscape.

In recommending the refusal of permission, An Bord Pleanála planning inspector John Bird noted that the development would be located within an area which had been zoned for residential use and immediately adjacent to occupied properties.

Mr Bird agreed that the proposed mast would be highly obtrusive, and said that it would have a “significant overbearing impact” on nearby dwellings were it to proceed.

He said that the height of the mast and its proximity to houses would “seriously injure” the amenities of the locality, and “depreciate the value of residential property in the vicinity”, and would thus be contrary to “the proper planning” of the area.

Mr Bird added that the mast would be “in conflict” with a ‘statement of special character’ included in the Kerry county development plan regarding Knocknagoshel, which notes that the village as it stands represents “an attractive traditional Kerry streetscape”.

In recommending refusal he said he thought that Towercom, in not giving details of alternative sites nor conducting pre-application discussions with the local authority, “has not followed due process”.

Organiser of the local protests Michelle Keane declared the refusal as “a great day for Knocknagoshel and also a huge win for rural Ireland”.

Knocknagoshel may be 271km as the crow flies from An Bord Pleanála but they listened. I am grateful to them for respecting us in our beautiful village.

Last February, 30 Knocknagoshel residents travelled to Dublin in Convoy to protest outside the offices of An Bord Pleanála in north Dublin and to officially register their objection to Towercom’s appeal.

Mobile company Eir, which was officially listed on the appeal application, had earlier distanced itself from the action, noting that the project was “not an Eir development” and that Towercom had leased the land from Eir and had been liaising with residents while negotiating the planning process.

Mobile-signal boosting masts of the kind applied for in Knocknagoshel have become a common sight around Ireland over the past decade as mobile internet speeds have increased exponentially.

Last year, the Irish Examiner reported that the former deputy chair of An Bord Pleanála Paul Hyde had voted to override his own planning inspectors in the vast majority of applications for telecommunications masts over the previous two years.

Last April, it emerged that an early draft of the new planning and development bill, published last month in its final format before being debated by the Oireachtas, would have rendered it impossible for opponents of masts to appeal the granting of licences for their construction.