2241625
Permission for the construction of 40 no. apartments in 1 no. building (4 storeys over basement/undercroft parking) and all associated ancillary development works including vehicular and pedestrian access, footpaths, drainage, bin storage, bicycle and car parking, landscaping, and amenity areas.
Core Planning Reasoning
The proposed development was recommended for grant as it replaces existing inadequate telecommunications infrastructure with a modern 24m lattice structure necessary to provide essential 4G and 5G coverage. Despite its location in the Metropolitan Greenbelt and an Area of High Landscape Value, the Inspector concluded that the visual impact is acceptable due to the working agricultural context, the specific topography that screens the mast from many sensitive viewpoints, and the technical necessity for the height to ensure signal propagation.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The lattice structure is technically required to replace existing rooftop equipment that is structurally insufficient for modern 4G/5G hardware and to meet the connectivity needs of the growing Passage West population.
- The visual impact on the landscape and nearby recorded monuments (including a standing stone and Kilmurry Graveyard) is considered minimal to moderate and not significantly injurious to the character of the greenbelt or scenic coastal routes.
- Concerns regarding health impacts from non-ionizing radiation and residential devaluation were dismissed in accordance with national guidelines (Circular PL07/12), noting that such matters are the remit of ComReg rather than the planning process.