‘Overly-dominant’ 5G mast plan could be turned down in Mansfield

Plans for the mast, on the A60 Nottingham Road into the town, south of the junction with Forest Road, have been submitted to Mansfield Council by telecommunications company CK Hutchinson Networks earlier this year.

The company is working alongside network provider Three to boost 5G coverage in the town, saying there is an ‘acute need’ for a new mast due to ‘limited’ coverage.

It believes the mast, accompanied by a base station to power the 5G coverage, is the ‘minimum required’ to bring a good-quality internet signal to the town’s residents.

And it says the development will have no ‘detrimental’ impact on the town with its equipment reduced to its “minimum size”.

The company said: “The mast would assimilate well into the immediate street scene and not be detrimental.

“The design of the proposed antenna and ground-based cabinets is considered to be the least visually intrusive option available.

“While it is accepted there will be a localised visual increase through the installation of additional apparatus, it is considered this will not overly detract from the character of the existing streetscape.”

The company adds its work follows Government plans to speed up 5G roll-out nationwide.

However, 18 letters of objection have been submitted to the council, the planning authority.

Concerns include the impact of 5G on human health and potential public exposure, as well as its closeness to High Oakham Primary School and Smarties Nursery.

Other concerns involved a potential ‘negative visual impact’.

The council’s planning department agreed with some of these objections, including the potential impact on the character of the area.

And while the authority says there are clear economic and social benefits connected to the development, including providing ‘high-quality communications infrastructure’, it does not support the plan.

Members of the council’s planning committee after being recommended to reject the application at their next meeting.

A spokesman for the council’s planning department said: “The monopole would harm the visual amenity of the locality by virtue of its excessive height, inappropriate siting and unsympathetic design.

“It would form an overly dominant feature in the street scene that would result in harm to the character and appearance of the area.”