Plans to put up a 20-metre (65ft) 5G phone mast in Brighton have been approved by councillors.
Members of Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee voted six to four to approve the mast plans for Carden Avenue, Patcham, opposite one end of Dale Drive.
It was a tough decision for most of the committee during the virtual meeting on Wednesday 6 May after neighbours sent in 115 letters and emails opposing the plan.
Councillors said that the equipment casing, which would cover an area 10 metres long, and the mast, which would be 20 metres high, were ugly.
They questioned what benefit it would bring to the area.
Cora Kelly spoke on behalf of residents saying that the mast would impair views to and from the South Downs.
She said that short-range 5G masts with 300-metre rangers did not belong in a residential area in a small valley.
Ms Kelly said: “As a result of the much more limited range of 5G there will definitely need to be a large number of masts.
“In fact, it will require antennas throughout our community every 500ft. We would argue this is not a single application.”
She said that homes in the area would lose 10 per cent of their value and 40 families would directly overlook the mast.
Conservative councillor Alistair McNair, who represents Patcham ward, told the Planning Committee that the equipment cabinets would detract from the area’s green verges.
Councillor McNair called them “yet more street furniture that the council can fail to clean the graffiti off of”.
He asked: “Have alternative options been made? Isn’t it worrying that Patcham ward councillors raised several concerns with the applicant and have not had a response.”
He questioned whether the mobile phone companies EE and Three, which are behind the plans, had contacted many residents, describing them as ironically “uncommunicative”.
A statement from EE and Three said that the upgrade was sited and designed to provide 5G coverage and to support the network.
They said that more people were working from home and this meant that the network needed to be upgraded with 5G technology.
Conservative councillor Carol Theobald, who also represents Patcham ward, said that the mast was “gigantic”.
She said: “This is taller and bulkier than anything else that’s there. This is the wrong location for this.
“It is so in your face. It would be dreadful driving along there and seeing that.”
Independent councillor Bridget Fishleigh, who works for a mobile phone company rolling out 5G in Africa, backed Councillor Theobald. She said: “I think that we are elected to listen to residents.
“All too often, that doesn’t happen. If people who live in this area don’t want to benefit from superfast mobile broadband, we should respect that.”
Labour councillor Daniel Yates questioned whether the public benefits from the masts would be worthwhile, considering the visual impact of the posts.
Independent councillor Tony Janio supported the science behind 5G.
He said: “Because of the high frequency of the masts, the waves do not penetrate through objects like the old system. By definition, you need to have more masts. This is a feature of 5G.
“If you want 5G you’re going to have to have the masts. And you’re going to need a lot more of them.”
Green councillor Phélim Mac Cafferty said that the current opposition to 5G masts reminded him of opposition to mobile technology in the early 21st century.
He said: “There were a whole a series of objections. These were from well-minded people but fundamentally it came from a misunderstanding and misappraisal of the health issues related to the technology.
“I can’t help but feel we’re in the same period with 5G with 99 per cent of scientists saying it does not cause harm.”
“I can’t help but feel we’re in the same period with 5G with 99 per cent of scientists saying it does not cause harm.”
Yes, just like they once said about smoking.
You mean the same people that were worried about 2G, 3G, 4G, WiFi, power lines, smart meters, and microwave ovens even though all claims have been shown to be without an scientific basis?
And even though the additional 5g services are using similar frequencies to wifi and those that were used by Freeview TV untkl recently.
Sure, Peter.
Adverse health effects of 5G mobile networking technology under real-life conditions – Toxicology Letters Volume 323, 1 May 2020, Pages 35-40
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S037842742030028X
As usual the people are ignored and council comes out with lame excuses for doing so
The council do listen to “the people”, but if they come up with baseless reasons from gullible people who accept scare stories from conspiracy nutter (such as David Icke) they have every right to ignore them.
i got really ill from 4GX and had to move house – OK now I am away but if you havent lived it you know nothing
Peter Challis. You’re either a bot or a troll. Who are you to call anyone a conspiracy nutter? Did you like that I called you a bot or a troll? Are you following David to have such a baseless description of him? People have their own opinion of things. Show some respect for that, unless of course you’re ok being labelled unintelligent among other things?
Opinions are like butt holes in that everyone has one, and they do not deserve to be respected. If you have something against scientists, by all means visit your mechanic the next you get sick with something medical. You just can’t cure stupid in little Britain!
Outrageous putting these evil ugly masts
We donr need them of course thry will ad to tbe polution and harm ourhealth esp young children
If these councillors dont have issue with them why not have them put on top of tveir homes or i’ their gardens?!!!
To ptove that they are harmless
Put your money where your mouth is?