Vital that plans for industrial workshop dont impact Mayo weather station

MET Éireann has lodged an appeal with An Bord Pleanála against a grant of planning permission for an industrial workshop in south Mayo.

The developers, Parcan Ltd., wish to construct the workshop, with administration offices, service yard, car park and site road, at Ballindine Road, Carrowbeg East, Claremorris.

Their plans were approved by Mayo County Council but that decision is now under appeal.

There is a weather station in close proximity to the site and planners said it was vital to ensure the development did not affect its operations, particularly with recording wind speed.

An observation submitted to the council highlighted how the Claremorris station has been in operation since November 1943.

It is one of only 22 meteorological stations around Ireland which measures wind speed and direction and it is a critical source for high quality long-term climate records.

It was vital to ensure this important long-term climate record of nearly 80 years of wind data was not impaired by the proposed industrial workshop building or other obstruction in the vicinity.

A minimum distance of 30 times the height of the building was suggested.