Agenda item

(Councillors Bean and Vaughan left the room for this final item having declared a personal and pecuniary interest in the matter to be considered. They took no part in the discussion and vote on the matter to be determined.)

The Planning Team Leader:

1. advised that determination was sought as to whether prior approval was required for the installation of a 20m Phase 8 monopole, C/W wrapround cabinet at the base and associated ancillary works on Tritton Road, Lincoln

2. described the location of the proposed site on the west side of Tritton Road, to the south of the junction with Doddington Road,

3. reported that the site sat within the grass verge, between the footpath/cycleway and the road, positioned to the south of an existing traffic light column on land forming part of the adopted highway, the boundary with 127 Doddington Road, a two-storey property, and a bungalow at 35 Wetherby Crescent was located to the west with the wider area characterised by further bungalows and two-storey properties

4. advised that the application was submitted under Part 16 of Schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (GPDO) as amended by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) (no.2) Order 2016

5. reported that paragraph A.1 (1) (c) (ii) of the GDPO set out permitted development rights to install masts of up to 20m above ground level on land on a highway; as the proposed monopole would be 20m in height and the ground-based apparatus would not exceed 15m in height, prior approval was only required for the monopole in terms of its siting and appearance

6. stated that a declaration had been submitted with the application which confirmed that the equipment was in line with International Commission on Non-Ironizing Radiation Protection Public Exposure Guidelines (ICNIRP)

7. provided details of the policies pertaining to the application, as follows:

8. advised Planning Committee in determining this prior approval application, that the Local Planning Authority could only consider the siting and appearance of the proposed telecommunications equipment

9. outlined the responses made to the consultation exercise

10. concluded that:

Planning Committee discussed the content of the report in further detail.

The following comments emerged from Members:

·         It was noted that the purpose of the proposed monopole was to increase a telecommunication network strength from 4G to 5G.

·         If this site was not considered a suitable location, then where would be, as there were already numerous other masts across the city?

·         Concerns were raised in the unfortunate event that a vehicle was to mount the kerb during an accident; this could cause substantial damage to the pole and/or local properties.

The Planning Team Leader responded as follows:

·         Everyone wanted 5G Wi-Fi, however, the proposed monopole was so close to the adjacent house it would be unduly dominant.

·         Monopoles in other parts of the city were 10-15 metres away from local properties, encompassing a slenderer pole and enclosed head frame.

·         This monopole was twice the height of a normal standard street light.

·         There were areas in the city considered to be more appropriate for siting such a monopole being further away from other properties.

RESOLVED that Prior Approval be refused.

Reasons:

·         The siting and appearance of the proposed monopole would have a harmful visual impact on the character and appearance of the area by reason of its height, size, design, and position, which was exacerbated by the site's highly visible location.

·         It would appear as an obtrusive, prominent, dominant, and imposing addition in the street scene, contrary to Central Lincolnshire Local Plan Policy LP26 and paragraph 130 of the National Planning Policy Framework.