LATEST: Shock erection of 20 meter telecommunications mast in Tipperary deemed too high

Tipperary County Councillor Máirín McGrath has shared her discontent with the erection of a large mast within close proximity of houses in a Cahir housing estate.

Cllr McGrath said she was notified of the erection of the mast on Thursday November 13.

The councillor contacted the relevant bodies within the Tipperary County Council to assess the site where the mast has been put up. The council carried out an inspection of the site and concluded that the mast was in excess of the current 12 meter exemption for masts.

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In a statement, she said: "I was made aware of the erection of a large mast on Irish Rail lands behind the Birchdale Housing estate in Cahir town. Residents in the estate were shocked to see the tower being erected so close to their homes without any knowledge of a planning application or advance notice of its erection.

"I then engaged with planning officials in Tipperary County Council and asked them to visit the site and determine the planning status around this development as a matter of urgency.

"I am aware that there is an exemption under Planning Law for the erection of telecommunications poles up to a certain height and while we can accept the need for some infrastructural advances, it is not fair that the planning process can be totally circumvented here, much to the shock and dismay of local residents when they looked out their window this morning.

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"There must be a duty of care and also respect for residential amenity and visual impact, and if such masts are to be erected, they should be done in a manner that is not so close to residential properties, where it has such an overbearing impact on homes and gardens.”

Speaking after the inspection took place, Cllr McGrath said that the findings showed that the mast was well above the height limit of 12 meters under the planning laws for telecommunications poles that can be considered for exemptions.

“The mast was inspected and it is around 19-20 meters high, well above the 12 meters allowed in this case. Given that Cahir is an Architectural Conservation Areas (ACA), it’s surprising that this was erected in the first place without planning permissions. There will likely be enforcement proceedings to follow,” concluded Cllr McGrath.