An Coimisiún Pleanála, Ireland's national planning appeals board, has formally rejected a local appeal and upheld planning permission for Amazon Web Services (AWS) to construct a subsea cable landing station in West Cork. The decision clears the onshore planning hurdle for the technology company's Fastnet project, a high-capacity transatlantic fibre-optic cable connecting County Cork to Maryland in the United States.

The approved facility, located at Tullyneasky West near Lisavaird and approximately five kilometres from Clonakilty, will function as the physical onshore terminal for the subsea network. Filed by Amazon MCS Ireland Ltd, the development involves demolishing two existing structures to construct a single-story cable landing station, an Electricity Supply Board (ESB) substation, a switch room, and external plant infrastructure, including backup generators and fuel tanks.

The planning board's ruling follows an appeal lodged by local residents Eileen Lynch and Owen McCarthy, who own residential property and adjoining land near the proposed site. The appellants expressed concerns over the proximity of electrical equipment and fuel storage to their home, along with potential issues regarding traffic, noise, visual impact, and the potential devaluation of their land for future residential builds.

In upholding Cork County Council's initial decision from April, an inspector for An Coimisiún Pleanála concluded that fire, safety, and environmental risks had been appropriately addressed. The inspector's report noted that the visual impact of the landing station would be no greater than the former metal workshop buildings on the site, which was previously owned by Lisavaird Co-Op. Traffic increases were described as minor because the facility will not be permanently staffed, and intervening fields provide a buffer between the station and the appellants' property, located about 125 metres away.

The subsea cable will make landfall at nearby Owenahincha beach before running underground to the inland facility at Tullyneasky West. Designed with a transmission capacity exceeding 320 terabits per second (Tbps), Fastnet is AWS's first wholly-owned private transatlantic subsea cable system and is expected to become operational in 2028.

As part of the planning approval commitments, Amazon has established a €150,000 Community Benefit Fund for the West Cork area. The fund is designated to support local initiatives, including STEM educational schemes in schools, environmental sustainability efforts, health and wellbeing services, and community group projects.