Esat seeks alternative sites for phone masts

Esat Digifone is to seek alternative sites for mobile phone masts across the State, after the company's failure to secure planning permission for a large proportion of proposed masts at 201 Garda stations.

Under the controversial deal with the Government to allow the erection of antennae at Garda stations, Esat has exemption from planning controls at 217 stations where a Garda mast already exists. However, it is required to apply for planning permission for masts at the remaining 201 stations.

Figures obtained from 25 local authorities yesterday show that, of 157 planning applications lodged for masts this year, only 12 have been granted; 105 have been turned down, while 40 decisions have been deferred.

A number of county councils, including Leitrim (four) and Waterford (seven), have issued blanket refusals to Esat in respect of its applications.

Opposition from local authorities along the western seaboard is also a feature, with Kerry, Mayo and Donegal refusing a total of 33 mast applications this year. Some of the reasons cited for refusal by planning authorities are that the proposed masts would be injurious to the visual amenities of the areas and depreciate the value of nearby residential properties.

Figures issued by An Bord Pleanala yesterday show that Esat has the same disappointing results on appeal. From 32 decisions made on appeals lodged between April and July by the company, the local authority's decision to refuse planning was upheld in each case.

Esat's acquisitions manager, Mr Declan Drummond, said he was disappointed by the number of refusals, adding that the deal with the Garda "made an awful lot of sense". It would save i an estimated £3 million to the Garda, who are seeking to upgrade their network from analogue to digital.

Commenting on the continuing controversy over the health fears raised by objectors to the masts, Mr Drummond said: "Not in one instance when refusing planning permission has a planning authority cited a health-related reason in its reasons for turning down an application."

Esat's present network operates from 500 base stations or masts. This figure includes the 217 antennae which do not require planning on existing Garda masts, covering 93 per cent of the area of the Republic.

Mr Drummond said the failure to secure planning permission for a large number of its masts at Garda stations "won't radically impact on our plans to improve the network. It will present problems for the gardai, who are seeking to upgrade their communications network to digital. We will always be able to find a hilltop or a water tower to relocate our masts."

Mr Drummond said a number of alternative locations for masts had already been found and the company would be able to co-locate on Telecom Eireann masts. He said: "We will be lodging fresh applications. However, the number of planning applications for masts will be nothing like the number lodged for the Garda stations as we will be looking to co-locate with State bodies such as Telecom."

The Garda intended to proceed next year in upgrading its communications network, a spokesman said, irrespective of whether or not Esat gets planning permission for the masts.