By Andrew Topping, Local Democracy Reporter
An 18-metre 5G mast described by one resident as a “visual monstrosity” will not be built on a busy Mansfield gateway road after councillors threw out the plans.
Mansfield District Council’s planning committee unanimously turned down the mast and its accompanying equipment cabinets during a meeting on Tuesday (August 30).
The telecommunications technology had been planned for Nottingham Road, near High Oakham School, on a busy, tree-lined road heading in and out of the town.
But the committee rejected the plans over concerns the almost 60-foot tower would be “harmful to the character and appearance” of the busy road.
The meeting also heard from people living nearby who feared the tower, which would provide 5G internet signal to thousands of homes, would alter the area’s “historic appearance”.
Edward Barker, who lives on Ashdown, just seven metres from the proposed mast, said: “I appeal to you not to allow the erection of such a visual monstrosity on one of the oldest and most established approach roads in Mansfield.
“This 60-foot steel tower and its cabinets are visually more akin to belonging to NASA than in the leafy tree-lined roads with lime trees planted in the 19th Century.
“Please preserve and do not alter Nottingham Road’s historic appearance.”
Councillors were recommended to refuse the plans after the authority’s planning department said they believed they would be harmful.
However, the council did admit the mast would have benefits too.
A spokesperson for the department told councillors: “This sizeable, utilitarian mast would detract from the character of the setting and undermine the appearance of the area.
“It sits above the trees and the neighbouring property and a refusal is, therefore, recommended on that basis.
“There would be economic and social benefits associated with providing the new infrastructure, and it would improve the communications network.
“These aspects do weigh in favour of the proposal. However, it’s considered it would be harmful to the character and appearance of the area and would conflict with local plan policies.”
In refusing the plans, councillors said the mast should be placed in built-up, industrial areas to prevent an impact on residential areas.
Councillor Teresa Hanstock (Mans Ind), who represents Sherwood, said: “Anybody who’s been up Nottingham Road knows how badly we need telephone communication up there, because you can’t get a signal.
“But we don’t want that there. It needs to go on an industrial park and I’d be very surprised if everybody on the committee didn’t vote [in this way too].”
But CK Hutchinson Networks, the developer behind the plans, says the new mast would not have a “detrimental impact” on the town.
The company, which is working alongside the firm Three to boost 5G coverage in the town, says there is an “acute need” for a new mast due to the current “limited” network capacity.
It said: “[The] new mast would assimilate well into the immediate street scene and not be detrimental.
“The design of the proposed antenna and ground-based cabinets is considered to be the least visually intrusive option available.
“Whilst it is accepted that there will be a localised visual increase through the installation of additional apparatus, it is considered that this will not overly detract from the character of the existing streetscape.”