RESIDENTS are expressing their anger following a revised planning application for a 24-metre telecommunications mast in the village of Rockhill, County Limerick.
The initial planning application was submitted by Vantage Towers, one of Europe’s largest tower companies, in 2023.
Residents formed the Rockhill Says No group in opposition to the plans at the time, and have come together again to repeat their concerns.
The original application was rejected An Bord Pleanála (ABP, now An Coimisiún Pleanála) in March 2025.
Vantage Towers have since resubmitted a revised application, which is available for submissions until Sunday July 15.
“The proposal lodged to Limerick City and County Council is almost identical to the previously rejected plan, and that An Bord Pleanála had refused permission due to serious concerns about traffic safety, inadequate road access, and and conflict with established planning policies,” a spokesperson for Rockhill Says No stated.
They are now urging the Council to uphold the decision by An Bord Pleanala, describing the resubmission as “deeply flawed and unacceptable”.
Campaigners argue that the development would inflict “permanent visual scarring” and diminish the area’s cultural identity.
“There has been no serious assessment of how this mast would impact protected heritage sites or the area’s visual character,” the group said. “If this goes ahead, the damage would be permanent.”
In its prior ruling, ABP identified the site entrance as a “traffic hazard,” citing poor sightlines and substandard road width. The revised application proposes minor alterations to the entrance but relies heavily on speculative improvements linked to the long-delayed M20 motorway.
“You can’t justify a planning application based on roads that don’t exist,” said one local farmer. “This is a rural road with real safety issues today – not in 10 years’ time.”
It’s also claimed the project includes the removal of mature hedgerows, a practice restricted under the Wildlife Acts 1976-2018, and known to endanger local biodiversity.
Rockhill Says No have also raised concerns about transparency and fairness in the planning process, following allegations that two farmers were obstructed from making minor improvements on their land due to proximity to heritage sites, while this large-scale project was being reconsidered.
“When a local farmer’s plans are blocked over heritage concerns, but a telecom giant is waved through, something’s clearly wrong,” said a resident.
Frustration is mounting over what locals describe as a strategy to “wear down” community resistance by repeatedly submitting rejected plans.
They also argue that the reapplication undermined the authority of ABP, and risks setting a precedent where developers can re-apply indefinitely until a favourable outcome is secured.
In a statement to the Limerick Post, a spokesperson for Vantage Towers said they have “submitted a new planning application to Limerick City and County Council to develop telecommunications infrastructure at Ballyfookeen, Bruree, Co Limerick.”
“This application incorporates feedback from An Bord Pleanála and observes all standard planning conventions. The application is available to view at the Limerick City and County Council Offices or on their website.”
