Planning permission has been refused for a new telecommunications mast in a Westmeath village. On Tower Limited had sought to construct a 27 metre lattice telecom tower at Pearsonbrook, Glasson near Athlone. The structure would have carried antennae, dishes, remote radio units and associated equipment for provision of wireless data and broadband services.
The plans were subject to significant local opposition with residents setting up a petition against the proposed tower signed by over 260 people. They highlighted concerns that the infrastructure would be detrimental to the local visual amenity and raised issues with what they branded as the potential health impact of living close to a telecom mast. In making their decision, Westmeath planners found the height, scale and location of the proposed development would damage or detract from the natural amenity of the Lough Ree area.
