DONEGAL County Council has in the last week refused planning permission for the construction of two telecommunication masts.
Permission has been refused for structures in Castlefin and Moville.
Cignal Infrastructure Limited applied for permission to construct a 21-metre multi-user telecommunications structure at Castlefin Service Station.
The mast was to carry antenna and dishes, along with associated ground equipment.
Donegal County Council refused the application and its in its decision noted that such structures ‘shall not normally be favoured within Areas of Especially High Scenic Amenity, beside schools, protected structures or archaeological sites and other monuments. Within towns and villages operators shall endeavour to locate in industrial estates/areas where possible.’
In its response, Donegal County Council said: “It is considered that the proposed mast would, by virtue of height and form, be an overbearing and incongruous structure within the established pattern of development within the immediate vicinity of the site which consists mostly of residential properties and would prejudice the development of other lands within the Settlement Boundary.
“It is considered that to grant permission would materially contravene the aforementioned Policies of the Plan and Ministerial Guidelines and seriously injure the amenities, or depreciate the value, of property in the vicinity, and thus would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”
Further, the Council said that the absence of alternative storage to permit the development in an enclosed storage yard, which is serving an operational petrol station, ‘would result in a disorderly and haphazard form of development on the existing petrol filling station site.’
Eircom Limited sought construction of a 24-metre high free-standing communications structure at the Moville Eircom Exchange in Moville.
The proposed structure was to include associated antennae, communications dishes, ground equipment and associated site works.
Donegal County Council said, in refusing permission: “On the basis that the proposed mast would, by virtue of height and form, be an overbearing and incongruous structure within the established pattern of development within the immediate vicinity of the site which consists mostly of residential properties it is considered that to grant permission would contravene the aforementioned policy and would seriously injure the amenities, or depreciate the value, of property in the vicinity, and thus would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”
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