AN appeal has been lodged against a cable landing station near Clonakilty which could prove a setback for Amazon in running a sub-sea cable from the US to West Cork.
The appeal was lodged with An Coimisiún Pleanála against Amazon MCS Ireland Ltd’s development plans at Tullyneasky West, Clonakilty.
The landing station is earmarked to be around 5km north of where the cable would come ashore at Owenahincha.
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Cork County Council gave the internet giant the go ahead for the development in April, with a number of conditions attached.
An external plant would also be built, including a condenser compound, generators and fuel tanks.
But residents Eileen Lynch and Owen McCarthy, who own the property next to the earmarked site, are concerned about the negative impact it would have on the value of their property and on other homes in the area.
In their appeal, they pointed out serious safety and environmental concerns about having fuel storage tanks, backup generators, an electric substation and other infrastructure so close to their home.
‘In particular, noise emissions from generators and operational equipment have the potential to significantly and adversely affect the quiet enjoyment of our home,’ they wrote in their objection.
The pair also quoted light pollution, visual impact, and the impact on next door land for future use, including ‘the reasonable prospect of our children building homes on this land’.
‘The scale and nature of the development would significantly constrain future residential use and enjoyment,’ the appellants wrote.
An Coimisiún Pleanála is expected to give its decision on the appeal in the coming months.
A final decision is outstanding from maritime regulator MARA about a Maritime Usage Licence (MUL), needed for the works to bring the cable ashore.
Amazon has yet to submit an application for the installation of the sub-sea cable.
The large-scale cable project is named Fastnet and would connect Maryland on the US East Coast with West Cork.
The cable would be buried 1.5m beneath the seabed, costing close to €1 billion.
