Rockhill Says No: Locals oppose development of new data tower in ‘scenic’ Limerick village

AN APPEAL has been lodged with An Comisiún Pleanála against the proposed development of a 24-metre high telecommunications lattice tower in Ballyfooken Bruree.

The tower - which is proposed by Vantage Towers on behalf of Vodafone - would, according to the applicant, aid in providing 4G and 5G data connectivity and mobile phone reception in the locality.  

Dozens of objections were made when planning permission was sought through Limerick County Council, with radiation and wildlife concerns being a shared theme in the observations submitted.  

The potential impact of radiation from the tower is an issue for the community group Rockhill Says No, which has appealed the local authority decision. 

In planning documents, the group referenced “a recent study published in April of this year (funded by the WHO), which concluded there was a ‘high certainty’ that cellphone radiation exposure causes two types of cancer in animals”.

The submission continues: “There is no evidence of any community engagement or local consultation prior to this application.” 

The documents further state: “The applicant’s assertion that Bruree village is in ‘urgent need’ of enhanced telecommunications coverage is not supported by robust technical evidence within the planning application. Rather, the application appears to be more aligned with Vodafone's commercial rollout timelines than with a demonstrable technical deficit.” 

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Rockhill Says No further expressed their displeasure that no environmental impact assessment report was done despite the proposed tower being in close proximity to the River Maigue catchment.

A concerned individual living in Limerick echoed the group’s concerns, writing in their objection: “The international agency for research on cancer has classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as ‘possibly carcinogenic to humans’.

"Although conclusive evidence remains under study, this classification justifies a precautionary approach, especially in areas with residential populations in close proximity to the tower.”

Other objections expressed concern about the visual impact that the 24-metre tower could pose to the village. 

A local resident wrote that the tower “would drive people away” and that the tower would discourage people from moving to the village.  

“Ballyfookeen is a quiet, scenic area defined by its rural charm and historical richness. This mast would be completely out of scale with its surroundings, and would be an industrial intrusion in a place where the landscape has remained unchanged for generations,” they wrote. 

The proposed telecommunications pole will also have a number of antenna and satellite dishes attached to the structure. 

An Comisiún Pleanála (then An Bord Pleanála) previously denied Vantage Towers Limited planning permission due to issues relating to road traffic and sightlines. 

Vantage Towers Limited state they addressed these problems in their latest planning application to the council, which was approved earlier this year but which is now the subject of appeal. 

An Comisiún Pleanála is due to decide on the outcome of the case by February 9, 2026.