A telecoms company has lost its appeal to site 5G phone masts on the roof of a block of flats in Hove.
Brighton and Hove City Council refused permission in April 2021 for Waldon Telecom, acting for the mobile phone companies EE and Three, to fit six antennas to the roof of Coombe Lea, in Grand Avenue.
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”.
Waldron Telecom appealed against the decision last year, saying that the harm to the area’s heritage would be “less than substantial” and any harm would be outweighed by the public benefit.
The company said: “There is a demonstrable need for the appeal proposal to allow the continued and enhanced provision of services on two mobile networks within the Hove which is in the public interest.
“There is a demonstrable need for the appeal proposal to allow the continued and enhanced provision of services on two mobile networks within the Hove, which is in the public interest.”
Waldron said that the council did not give “due regard” to the need for the masts.
Planning inspector Jane Smith visited the site twice this year – in April and last month – before the appeal was turned down last Friday (7 July).
She said that the scale of the buildings tended to “draw the eye upwards”, resulting in the masts “intruding to a harmful degree above the roofscape”.
Ms Smith said: “The proposed development would fail to preserve or enhance the character or appearance of The Avenues Conservation Area and would not preserve the setting of nearby statutorily and locally listed buildings.
“It would result in less than substantial harm to the significance of heritage assets which is not outweighed by public benefits.
“Having had regard to the development plan as a whole, along with all other relevant material considerations, I conclude that the appeal should be dismissed.”
Coombe Lea resident Serena Mitchell led the campaign against the roof masts, attracting support from more than 160 people including former Central Hove ward councillor Gary Wilkinson and Hove MP Peter Kyle.
She said: “On behalf of Coombe Lea residents and our many neighbours in the surrounding Avenues Conservation Area who supported our campaign, I am delighted with this decision to dismiss the appeal.
“I’d also like to thank our former ward councillor Gary Wilkinson and local Hove MP Peter Kyle, who lent their support to this campaign, along with local heritage groups.
“It is not right or fair that ordinary people have to fight big corporates just to protect and conserve our homes and neighbourhoods.
“I’m glad the evidence we submitted was taken into consideration by the planning inspector.”
In what way would this have been in the public interest?
Ugly building, that area of Hove is ugly god knows why it is called Grand avenue. Its a ideal place to put a mast as it can’t make that building look any worse.
I guess the appearance of the aerials is just being used as an excuse, and the real reason is that many believe the scaremongering misinformation from the anti-5g activists.
In Portslade we had the “Sussex Residents Association” running a poorly designed survey where they claimed mobile masts cause all manner of illness including cancers and suicides.
It became obvious they had no idea on how to create statistically valid, objective, surveys, and we’re just desperately trying to find cases that support their beliefs.
Unfortunately the group seems to follow the teachings of David Icke (remember his claim that 5g is being used to activate nanotechnology included in the Covid vaccines?) which confirmed to me their lack of scientific understanding.
I tried to have discussions with their group on Facebook, but they blocked me, and apparently it has now been taken down by Meta.
There are tones of research and peer reviews studies about the damage radiation pose. So why don’t you do a proper research before expressing your ridiculous statements.
I have a reasonably scientific knowledge so that I can understand the issues. Are you confirming that the appearance of the antennas had little to do with the opposition, and more that you were against 5g EMR?
Considering 5g uses similar frequencies to WiFi and reuses frequencies used by Freeview why are you concerned?
Are you worried about mobile phone handsets, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, smart meters, Zigbee, cordless phones, mains wiring, and all radio transmitters including TV and DAB (which uses the old ITV VHF frequencies)?
Perhaps try getting educated rather than just accepting misinformation https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/telecommunications-security-bill-factsheets/factsheet-6-5g
Waldron Telecom is chancing it, and so are the residents who are complaining here.
Excellent. Large companies should not be allowed to bully residents. EMF damage is real.
Prove it
Academic Evidence says it’s unlikely on this scale, especially on a roof you are never going to visit. Your mobile phone has a higher risk, honestly. And your wifi. And your microwave.
All EMF or just certain frequencies and at what power levels?
You do realise that visible light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum?
What is really surprising is how on earth did such a dull building, with absolutely no architectural merit, become listed? If I remember correctly, it replaced some beautiful, family sized houses, and, together with some other boring blocks of flats, helped to turn Grand Avenue into such a dreary area.
The Listed buildings are OPPOSITE the tower blocks.
I don’t know if it is wifi or phone signal strength, but for the last 2-3 years, I occasionally experience an intrusive extreme body heat with painful sensations when online on my phone. I have to open windows & totally shut off the phone to make it stop. Which it does. Signal surges? It is horrible and makes me nauseous. Electronic smog?
We are not creating health enhancing communications tech. We are not. And my experience reminds me of the American embassy in Mexico (I think there) experience which was eventually put down to signal surges (something like that) from communications equipment that made people ill.
More likely other conditions, some of those could be dangerous, and you should go see a doctor as soon as possible.
What do you mean by “online on my phone”? Do you have similar problems just when talking on the phone, or when online on your PC?
What part of your body experience the symptoms you state? Have you checked with your GP in case their are other causes?
Easy answer to all this…. would anyone who argues for these masts actually choose to live underneath or opposite one …?
Depends, how much are they going for?
If have no problems, but then I understood the technology and don’t accept scaremongering from conspiracy theorists – so you too are admitting that the appearance on the masts is not the reason you are against masts.
And I have 2 masts within 200m of my home – and get excellent mobile coverage 😊
How do you know you are 100%correct? What if all this emf radiation does have an impact on our health? Is there anywhere that measures the accumulative impact of all these emf devices around us?