Developer appealing refusal of 24-metre Glasson mast

The company behind a proposed 24-metre telecommunications mast in Glasson is appealing a refusal of planning permission for the development.

At the beginning of January, Westmeath County Council turned down a planning application from On Tower Ireland Ltd for the 24-metre telecommunications monopole at a site in Pearsonsbrook, about a mile from Glasson village.

The application had attracted a number of objections from local residents, as well as representations from two local councillors, Aengus O'Rourke and Frankie Keena, both of whom expressed concerns about the suitability of the proposed site for the project.

In refusing planning permission for the 24-metre structure, the council said its height and scale would be "visually incongruous" and would detract from the status of the "Lough Ree area of high amenity" in which it would be situated.

The planning bid was the second to have been submitted by On Tower Ltd for the site in less than a year, after a previous attempt to secure planning approval for a 27-metre lattice telecommunications support structure there was refused by the council in July.

In both cases, the planning applications included a letter of support from the communications firm Three Ireland, which wrote that the proposed development "would provide coverage to our customers living, visiting, and travelling in the area.

"Failure to progress this installation therefore could have a negative future impact on network subscribers enjoying future technologies," stated Three Ireland.

An Bord Pleanála's website indicates that an appeal against last month's planning refusal by the council was lodged on behalf of the developer on January 30.

A decision the appeal is due by June 4.