The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Plans for two 5G phone masts in Spalding have been resubmitted days after they were refused.
The masts, on Wygate Park and Birch Grove, have been reduced in height to 15m for both sites.
A meeting of South Holland District Council’s planning committee rejected the applications at a meeting on April 14.
The original proposals saw the Wygate Park mast at 20m and Birch Grove at 18m.
Both applications were deemed to be an ‘unduly dominant, obtrusive and alien feature within the street scene’ and rejected.
Planning officers at the council had recommended members approve the mast on the corner of Birch Grove and Matmore Gate and said it would ‘not materially adversely impact’ the area. But elected members went against the recommendation and refused the application.
Hutchinson UK, of Maidenhead, has resubmitted both applications for mobile network Three. In a letter with both new applications, the company says the proposed 15m height of the poles would be the ‘absolute limit’ in order to operate.
More than 100 people had signed a petition against the Wygate Park application when it was submitted in March.
District councillors Roger Gambba-Jones, vice chair of the planning committee, and Christine Lawton objected to the original proposal.
South Holland and The Deepings MP Sir John Hayes was also against both plans.
The applications are classed as ‘permitted development’ under planning law, the only matters considered are siting and appearance.
Objectors to both schemes had also cited fears over public health and 5G masts. But the issue is outside of the planning authority’s remit.
