Board grants Cloughjordan mast beside school

Request for oral hearing denied

An Bord Pleanála has ruled in favour of a controversial telecommunications mast beside a school in Cloughjordan.

Local residents gathered over 800 signatures on a petition opposing Eir's plan to erect a 15m monopole beside St Michael's National School.

The school's board of management last year appealed Tipperary Co Council's decision to grant conditional planning to Eircom Ltd (t/a Eir) to provide a new telecoms mast at the existing Eir exchange compound in the village.

St Michael's took issue with the location of the mast within 3m of the walkway into the school. Concern was expressed over visual impact and lack of clarity over the number of antennae and dishes that would be placed on the monopole.

Standing more than twice the height of the school, the board regarded the proposed monopole as an “eyesore”, and raised health concerns for the approximately 140 children attending the school, together with around 70 children at the crèche next door.

LONG-RUNNING BATTLE

The subject application represents a second attempt by Eir to install a telecommunications mast beside the school. The first was turned down by An Bord Pleanála in 2023.

A new application was submitted with a revised design comprising a “shrouded monopole”, which would reduce the visual impact on the surrounding village. The applicant maintained that the site beside the school is the “optimal location” for the mast, given its established links and utilities. Eir had “carefully reviewed all potential site options and structure designs”.

The company stated that it had an operator requirement to improve telecommunications services in Cloughjordan village. The area in question experienced “inadequate Eir 4G and 5G coverage”.

The new mast would “significantly improve 4G and 5G coverage, help eliminate coverage blackspots and make a significant positive contribution to the benefit of residents, businesses and social enterprises in the surrounding area”, Eir's agent stated.

PETITION

The 800-signature petition was submitted to An Bord Pleanála as an observation in the appeal. Members of the school's parents association, together with Electromagnetic Sense Ireland - a campaign group for the rights of people experiencing adverse health effects from telecoms masts - were also listed as observers.

The appellant requested an oral hearing on the appeal but An Bord Pleanála considered that “sufficient information was on file to allow an assessment. Therefore, no oral hearing was undertaken.”

Following a lengthy assessment of the case, An Bord Pleanála concluded that the shrouded monopole “would not seriously injure the visual or residential amenity of the area or the amenities of the property in the vicinity of the site”.

The board granted permission subject to a number of conditions, including a stipulation that no additional communications antennae could be fitted to the exterior of the monopole without a prior grant of planning permission.

The existing 12m wooden pole on the site is to removed within three months of the installation of the permitted monopole.

Among other conditions is a requirement for details of a colour scheme for the mast and ancillary stratures to be agreed with the council prior to commencement, in the interest of the visual amenities of the area.