Agenda item

Installation of 18m high monopole supporting 6no. antennas and 3no equipment cabinets and ancillary development.

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.