Harrogate Borough Council has refused plans to erect a 20-metre tall 5G mobile phone mast overlooking the Stray.

5G is the quickest mobile internet connection available and offers up to 20 times faster speeds than 4G. However, the town is currently poorly served by 5G signal, particularly on its southern side.

Reading-based telecoms firm Cignal Infrastructure Ltd hoped to erect a mast at Granby Park, which is adjacent to the section of the Stray by Skipton Road. It said there is an acute need for coverage in the area.

The company reviewed other nearby locations including County Square, Devonshire Place, Sanders Walk and Westmoreland Street but discounted them due to their pavements being too narrow to accommodate the equipment.

It decided the Granby Park location was the best compromise to extend 5G in the area’s “coverage hole”.

But Harrogate Borough Council case officer Emma Howson wrote in her refusal that she had concerns about its visual impact on Harrogate’s much-cherished parkland.

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Ms Howson said the mast would be “highly visible” from the Stray, as well as on Skipton Road and Claro Road.

The plans received 20 objections, including one from from Harrogate Civic Society. There were no letters of support

Henry Pankhurst, from the civic society, wrote that the plans should be refused due to “a negative visual effect on the conservation area and on the Stray.”

Ms Howson agreed and concluded:

“The public benefits of 5G coverage and capacity have been noted however the harm arising from the impact on the conservation area would substantially outweigh this.”

Meanwhile, plans from Cignal to erect a 15-metre mast outside the Co-op on Otley Road have been approved.

The rollout of 5G has led to fears the frequencies emitted from the masts could be dangerous to humans. But during tests in 2020, regulator Ofcom found “no identifiable risks”.

Plans have been submitted to Harrogate Borough Council for two 5G mobile phone masts that would boost coverage in the town.

5G is the quickest mobile internet connection available and offers up to 20 times faster speeds than 4G.

However, the town is currently poorly served by 5G signal, particularly on its southern side.

Reading-based telecoms firm Cignal Infrastructure Ltd hopes to erect one 15m mast by the Co-Op on Otley Road as it says there is an “acute need” for coverage in the area.

The company also hopes to erect a 20m mast at Granby Park.

A planning document submitted on behalf of the company says the masts would help boost businesses and communities in Harrogate. It says:

“In these unprecedented times of the Covid19 pandemic, it is recognised that high-speed mobile connectivity is the lifeblood of a community; facilitating educational benefits, providing access to vital services, improving communications with the associated commercial benefits for local businesses, enabling ecommerce and facilitating the increased need and demand for working from home, as well as enjoying access to social, media and gaming for leisure time activities.”