Council reject Kilmaine telecommunications mast

PLANS for a telecommunications mast on the outskirts of Kilmaine village in south Mayo have been rejected by Mayo County Council.

There was widespread local opposition to the proposal by Cignal Infrastructure Ltd. to construct a 24m high multi-user lattice telecommunications structure at Cregduff, on the Galway Road.

In total, 27 letters of objection were lodged with the council against the development.

Planners found that the development, located off a national secondary road, would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard or obstruction of road users.

Located on an open, exposed and visually prominent site, the mast would consitute a visually strident feature and have an adverse visual impact.

Further, it had not been shown that the proposal would not lead to a proliferation of telecommunications structures where possible opportunities for co-location exists in the surrounding area.

In their objections, locals had raised concerns about the proximity of the mast to homes and devaluation of property. Traffic safety, visual impact and the affects on local heritage sites were also raised.

It was also submitted that there is no requirement for signal improvement in the area. Technological gains for the area could be attained by upgrading existing infrastructure.