Spalding residents welcome refusal of 3G masts in Wygate Park and Birch Grove

A phone company’s plans to install masts in residential estates have been thrown out for a second time.

Hutchison UK Ltd (Three) was denied planning permission to put up two 15m masts in Wygate Park and Birch Grove in Spalding by South Holland District Council.

Earlier this year the firm’s bid to erect 20m masts were also refused following a campaign by residents.

The latest application was denied on the grounds that it would place an unduly dominant feature on the street scene according to the officer’s report.

Wygate Park resident Mark West has welcomed the latest decision by the district council to throw out the plans.

Mr West said: “I am hoping that this is the end of it. I can’t see how they are going to put in another application if you have put two in and get them rejected.

“I am not against 5G or technology and I think it is not a bad thing for Spalding to have.

“Hopefully they will come up with a better location somewhere else but not positioned near their houses.

“From my point of view the mast would have been right in front of my house and was 32m from my garden and 30m from my house.”

The officer’s decision notice for the Wygate Park application states that objections had been lodged by district councillors Roger Gambba-Jones and Angela Newton along with MP Sir John Hayes and 21 members of the public.

While a total of ten objections were lodged with the district council for the Birch Grove application.

The officer’s report on the Wygate Park states: “In terms of its siting, the proposed monopole, even at a reduced height of 15m, would be readily visible in the street scene and the scale is still not directly not comparable to any other structure or building in the vicinity. It would be visible at a distance on Wygate Park from a westerly direction and would still be well above the tree line and roof line of properties in the vicinity.

“The mast would be sited almost immediately adjacent to a well-used footway and would therefore be visually obtrusive to pedestrians, as well as motorists. Whilst it is accepted that there is other street furniture in the vicinity (such as street lights, road signs and post boxes), it is considered that the proposal, even reduced in height, would have a material adverse impact on the wider street scene due to it being an unduly dominant, obtrusive and alien feature within the street scene.

“In light of this, the proposal is considered to be unacceptable in terms of its siting and contrary to Policies 2 and 3 of the South East Lincolnshire Local Plan (2019).”

The Spalding Guardian had approached Hutchison UK Ltd for a comment but did not receive a response prior to going to press.