Telecoms company appeals after councillors reject 5G roof masts

A telecoms company has appealed after its plans to put 5G phone masts on the roof of a block of flats in Hove were turned down.

And now neighbours are stepping up their campaign against the proposal by Waldon Telecom, which is acting for the mobile phone companies EE and Three.

At a meeting last April, Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee refused to grant planning permission for Waldon to put six antennas on the roof of Coombe Lea, in Grand Avenue.

The proposals, which were unanimously rejected by councillors, included putting eight equipment cabinets on the roof of the same building which is in The Avenues Conservation Area.

Waldon’s appeal is due to be heard by a planning inspector – and objectors have been given a deadline of early next month to send in their comments.

When the council’s Planning Committee met, concerns included potential harm to the character of The Avenues Conservation Area and the setting of listed buildings.

The detached houses in Grand Avenue are grade II listed buildings as are properties in King’s Mews, in Third Avenue, while Grand Avenue Mansions is “locally” listed.

Coombe Lea resident Serena Mitchell started the campaign against the roof masts plan last year – and more than 160 people opposed the proposals.

She said: “Brighton and Hove Council has already firmly refused planning permission because the application breached multiple planning regs in our prime historic neighbourhood.

“We feel terribly violated to have our homes threatened in this way.

“However, housing across the city seems to have become game for predatory big tech firms looking to cash in on a 5G gold rush across the UK.

“Other countries are taking a far more cautious approach to 5G network rollout.”

Labour councillor Gary Wilkinson, who represents Central Hove, said that EE and Three had 5G masts on the new Waterfront building, on the old Texaco garage site, in Victoria Terrace, Kingsway.

Last year, he addressed the council’s Planning Committee about the plans, setting out his obejctions and backing the residents’ campaign.

Councillor Wilkinson said: “Suitable masts already exist and alternative commercial sites have not been properly considered.

“Residents should not be forced against their will to host such equipment. The masts would be seen across a wide area in our heritage city and the designs do not improve the historic surroundings.”

Waldon said, in its statement of case for the planning appeal, that the public benefit of 5G masts outweighed the impact on heritage assets and the wider environment.

The company said that its proposals were part of the creation of a national 5G network, providing mobile customers with faster internet speeds and seamless connectivity.

If refused, the statement said: “The ability to develop high-speed telecommunications networks and expand these networks, which is known to play a critical role in enhancing the provision of local community facilities and services, will also be lost.

“Therefore, Hove could fall behind Brighton and other parts of the UK where, in addition to 2G, 3G and 4G services provided, 5G installations have been approved.

“This would not encourage economic growth and would detrimentally reduce the community facilities and services within the area.”

Anyone who wants to comment can should go to the Planning Inspectorate’s website at acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk and search for APP/Q1445/W/21/3286740.

The deadline for comments is Wednesday 6 April.