Eir appeals decision on phone mast

A MAST that provides enhanced mobile service in Bantry has become the subject of an appeal to An Bord Pleanála.

Cork County Council refused Eir permission to retain the mast, which was erected without planning permission, but Eir has appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanála.

The order, refusing retention, was issued by the divisional manager of Cork County Council on May 11th, but An Bord Pleanála is not expected to make its decision until October.

The unauthorised development is a mounted support pole, which includes an antenna, dish, and beacon. It is located three metres above the apex of the roof of the Eir exchange building, and there are also associated structures and cables on the building’s gable wall.

In its refusal for retention, the Council noted that the mast and equipment is in close proximity to numerous residential properties at Market Street and Church Road.

The Council also pointed out that the site is located at the edge of the Chapel Architectural Conservation Area. 

‘In the absence of any compelling, reasoned justification,’ the Council said, the mast ‘by reason of its height, scale, incongruous and semi-industrial appearance constitutes a visually discordant feature.’

The Council says the ‘proliferation of equipment’ on the building is also detrimental to the historic character of the area.

And the local authority order states that the visual amenities and the residential amenities,of the area have been ‘seriously injured’ to such an extent that they depreciate the value of property in the vicinity.

There was a suggestion, locally, that the mast was erected for the benefit of An Garda Siochána, but that misinformation was corrected by a garda press officer who pointed out that the development was carried out by Eir.

‘There is an existing mast at Bantry Garda Station,’ the spokesman added, ‘but that is not the subject of any planning application.’ The Southern Star contacted Eir for a comment, but none was available before going to press.