Agenda item
WP/20/00417/TEL - Telecommunications Mast Site, Weymouth Way, Radipole, Weymouth
Installation of 18m high monopole supporting 6no. antennas and 3no equipment cabinets and ancillary development.
Minutes:
The
Committee considered a proposal for the installation of an 18m high monopole supporting 6 antennas, 3 equipment
cabinets and ancillary development.
Councillor John Worth left the meeting at
this juncture.
Members received a presentation on the key
matters regarding the acceptability of the siting and appearance of the scheme
on land to the north of Manor Roundabout, Weymouth. There were 2 existing poles of 12 metres and
15 metres in height in the wide area of highway verge rising to the north with
trees and a bridleway.
The site was with the Weymouth DDB with a
low risk of surface water and fluvial flooding.
Distances were provided to nearby facilities including the main entrance
to Radipole Primary School (250m), Radipole nature reserve (220m); Lorton
Meadow (250m); Redlands Sports Centre (500m) and St Nicholas and St Laurence
School further to the north. The nearest homes to the application site were in
Greenway Road (30m).
The proposal was to upgrade the lower of the
2 monopoles with a higher and more substantial monopole 17metres to the west of
the one to be removed. The existing 15m
mast located further to the east was used by a different network operator and
would be retained.
A new mast was needed to support 2, 3, 4,
and 5G antennae and the desired network coverage could not be achieved without
a higher mast as 5G antennae needed to be 3m above the other antennae on the
mast. The pole would be wider with
antennae not fully enclosed within a glass fibre shroud.
Councillor Louie O'Leary left the meeting at
this juncture.
The Lead Project Officer advised that the
update sheet circulated to members prior to the meeting included a response
from the Dorset Council Highways Liaison Engineer and further
representations. Some of the points
raised related to health concerns that could not be considered as part of this
application.
The main considerations were outlined
including conformity with national and local planning policy for communications
development, the adequacy of the justification of the proposal and the
provision and adequacy of other background information in support of the
application.
The site was considered to be a good
location for communications development and the application was supported by a
Declaration of Conformity with ICNIRP Public Exposure Guidelines. Members were further advised that paragraph
116 of the NPPF 2019 stated that "Local planning authorities must
determine applications on planning grounds only. They should not seek to prevent completion
between different operators, question the need for an electronic comms system,
or set health safeguards different from the International Commission guidelines
for public exposure."
If the committee considered that there was a need to approve
the siting and appearance of the mast, the statutory deadline was in 2 days'
time.
Written representations received in
accordance with the public speaking protocol were read out by the
Administration Assistant and are attached as an appendix to these minutes.
In response to a question, members were advised that the acoustic
fencing had been implemented as part of highways development and would not
impact on this development.
Proposed by Councillor Bill Pipe, seconded by Councillor
Dave Bolwell.
Decision: The applicant be informed that Dorset Council’s prior approval as the
local planning authority is not required.
Reason for Decision
Having regard to policy:
(i) COM10 (The Provision of Utilities
Service Infrastructure);
(ii) ENV1 (Landscape, Seascape and Sites of
Geological Interest);
(iii) ENV2 (Wildlife and Habitats);
(iv) ENV5 (Flood Risk);
(v) Policy ENV10 (The Landscape and
Townscape Setting); and
(vi) ENV16 (Amenity),
of the adopted West Dorset, Weymouth and
Portland Local Plan 2015 and other material considerations including national
planning policy and planning practice guidance, the proposed development is
considered to be in general accordance with the development plan in force in
the area. Details of the siting and appearance of the proposed development have
been set out within the application and would be subject to conditions set out
in Class A of Part 16 of the Schedule to the Town and Country Planning (General
Permitted Development) Order 2015 (as amended). The development would not be
unduly detrimental to the appearance of the locality and the applicant has
demonstrated that there is a need for the technology and that all
technically feasible alternatives have been
explored and that the application proposal results in the least visual harm.
The application is therefore in accordance with policy COM10 of the Local Plan.
The proposed development further accords with national planning policy for high
quality communications set out in paragraphs 112 to 116 of the National
Planning Policy Framework (February 2019). Various concerns have been expressed
in representations made about the application regarding the siting and
appearance of the proposed apparatus and other matters. However,
having considered the impact of the development, the rights of the applicant, the general interest and the public sector equalities duty, the opinion is that the proposed development as described in the application has been adequately justified and is satisfactory and that any effect on human rights, on protected characteristics and on the character, appearance and amenities of the locality do not outweigh the authorisation and permitting of the subject development in accordance with adopted and prescribed planning principles.
Supporting documents: