Tipperary Council receives 34 objections to planning application for 15m mast in New Inn

Tipperary County Council received 34 submissions objecting to eir’s latest planning application seeking approval for a 15m telecommunications mast in the heart of New Inn before the public consultation deadline.

The flood of submissions shows the strength of opposition in the village to the application requesting permission for the mast at New Inn’s eir Exchange.

Tipperary County Council is due to decide on whether to approve, refuse or seek further information on the application next Thursday, March 7.

Eir submitted the planning application just five months after An Bord Pleanála upheld Tipperary County Council’s 2021 decision to refuse planning permission for a similar structure on the same site. The appeals board considered the structure would “seriously injure” the residential amenity of an adjacent house to the south of the Eir Exchange site.

In view of this, the board said the mast would be contrary to the “proper planning and sustainable development of the area”.

The new application, lodged with the council on January 12, seeks permission to build a “shrouded” mast at the eir Exchange while the previous unsuccessful application sought approval for a “monopole” mast.

Submissions from New Inn Tidy Towns Committee, Deputy Mattie McGrath and Cllr Máirín McGrath along with local residents were among the last minute surge of objections Tipperary County Council received.

They joined earlier objections sent by the principals of New Inn’s two primary schools, Independent Cllr Andy Moloney and residents.

New Inn Tidy Towns Committee’s submission states the group objects to the mast because it would be too close to the house next to the eir Exchange and right in the centre of the village, which won't help its streetscape.

The joint submission of Deputy McGrath and Cllr McGrath states the application was brought to their attention by a number of “extremely concerned” constituents living close to the site.

They submit the mast would have a “huge overbearing” negative impact on the village’s streetscape and “significantly injure the residential amenities of dwellings in the area”.

The Independent public representatives argue this new application does little to address the issues highlighted by the planning authorities in their previous refusal of permission for a 15m mast and maintain it contravenes the County Development Plan.

They also highlight local people’s concerns the mast would devalue properties in the area and note the eir Exchange adjoins the Lena Rice Field, which has “huge potential” as a community area.