A North Galway secondary school has been prevented from leasing out its all-weather pitch following complaints from local residents about the intrusion of floodlighting on their properties.

Holy Rosary College in Mountbellew has been granted permission for modifications to its PE hall along with the provision of an all-weather playing pitch, a ball wall and the necessary lighting. The school authorities had been hoping that the astroturf pitch could be leased out to local clubs asked that permission be granted for its use up until 9pm at night.

However, An Bord Pleanala have ruled that the floodlighting shall not operate after 7.30pm in the evening and this means that it cannot be leased out over the winter months when most clubs would utilise the facility.

And it is also a condition that the all-weather pitch and ball wall shall be used solely for school purposes and she not be rented or leased to third parties. This is in the interest of residential amenities. The school said that the pitch is a significant asset to Mountbellew and that there are a number of clubs and groups that have expressed an interest in using the facility.

However, the residents of the nearby Treanreavagh raised issues about the provision of the astroturf pitch and said that there were no discussions with locals about the development.

They accused Holy Rosary of having disregard for the planning process in that there is still light spill into neighbouring properties resulting in a lost in their amenity. Residents say that they also have an issue with the security lights on the gym building and have highlighted a problem with noise from the astroturf pitch and the ball wall.

They say in their appeal that the lights are just over 30 yards from the boundary to the estate and around 60 yards from the nearest house. They argue that the provision of planting as a means of screening will lead to the issue of maintenance.

Residents are advocating the construction of a six feet high wall in order to provide an adequate level of privacy.

Holy Rosary College says that the location of the astroturf pitch was dictated by the fact that the school did not have the funds to construct permitted five smaller pitches that was proposed for this area.

The school said that that there were no restrictions on the operation time of five basketball courts and similarly there was no restriction on the operation of the originally permitted large all-weather pitch. They made various proposals with regard to the angles of the lights that serve the astroturf pitch and added that the increased height of the boundary would have a beneficial impact.

“With regard to noise, it is noted that the previously permitted basketball pitches did not have any restrictions in terms of hours of operation.

“The number of persons using these pitches would have been as many or more than would use the pitch as constructed.

“The applicant is happy that the use of the pitch and the floodlights would cease at 9pm. It is proposed that the use of the ball wall would not extend beyond 6.30 pm”, it was stated in response to the appeal.

However, the lights have to be switched off at 6.30pm and the facility cannot be rented to any other sports clubs.