Council refuses Belturbet mast

Cavan County Council has refused permission for a new mast in Belturbet.

Eircom had applied to replace a 10.5m wooden pole at the Eir Exchange in the town and replace it with a new one twice the height.

It had applied to erect a 21m high monopole telecommunications structure with antennas, dishes and associated telecommunications equipment to replace the existing unit at the site off Fairgreen Road.

In its application Eircom claimed the existing mast is not capable of supporting “meaningful 3G and 4G technology” and a “robust, purpose-built structure is needed”.

It says it does not currently transmit from the mast in place at the site and it would be unsuitable for antennas and dishes.

A number of submissions had been made on the plans from local residents who raised concerns about the potential impact on property prices. Its proximity to local schools was also flagged with claims about a potential impact on health.

Cavan County Council refused planning permission on two grounds - the mast would “have an adverse impact on the visual and residential amenities in the area” and “would set an undesirable precedent for future development of this nature”.