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24
Dec
Mobile company lodges fresh appeal over 5G tower plan at Harrogate football pitch
A telecommunications company has begun a fresh appeal over plans for a 5G tower on a Harrogate sports pitch.
In September, EE lodged a plan for a 25-metre mobile network tower on land at Pannal Ash Junior Football Club on Almsford Close.
The move came after a previous scheme to install a higher 30-metre tower was refused. The plan was also rejected by the government’s Planning Inspectorate on appeal.
The revised plan proposed a shorter tower, which would provide 3G, 4G and 5G usage, as well as standard voice call services.
It also included plans to erect a 2.1-metre palisade fence with double three-metre gates at the site.
The location of the planned tower compared with its previous facility.
However, in October, North Yorkshire Council planners rejected the revised plan on the grounds that it will cause an “unacceptable level of harm to the character of the local area”.
The authority added that the mast would “appear visually dominant and intrusive” to the local area.
Now, the mobile network operator has taken the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate, which deals with planning disputes.
The operator wants to install the tower at the football club as its existing rooftop telecommunications site for the area is at Harrogate College, which is undergoing a £22 million redevelopment.
In a statement as part of its appeal, EE said the proposal was “significantly revised” from its previous plan.
The company added that it had already discounted 41 alternative sites because they were "unavailable or less desirable in terms of integration into their environment".
It said:
The appeal proposal (which has been significantly revised from a 30m bulkier lattice tower to 25m slimmer monopole) constitutes permitted development in respect of its height and as such the principle of the development is not in question, merely does its siting and appearance comply with national and local planning policy and thereby acceptable.
A government planning inspector will make a decision on the appeal at a later date.
Objections to revised plans
The move comes as the plans have been met with objections from local residents and Harrogate Town Council.
One objector, named Katie Burgess, said the tower would cause “significant harm to local residents” and would “tower over properties” should plans be approved.
Dr Anthony O’Connell, who said the mast would be visible from his home, also raised concerns over the impact on both local wildlife and residents’ health.
Meanwhile, Harrogate Town Council objected to the revised plan in September.
Cllr Andrew Timothy, who sits on the council's planning committee, said:
This is the third time we’re seeing this. I don’t think it has changed sufficiently… I think the comments we previously made still stand.
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