I have called on mobile phone network providers to take a more sympathetic approach to residential amenity when upgrading mobile phone masts.
This follows news that one applicant, Wilkinson Helsby, plans to upgrade a mast in Perth Road near to Glamis Road but replace the current mast which is disguised as a telegraph pole (see photo) with an undisguised mast.
I have written to Wilkinson Helsby asking them to think again about the type of mast to be used and provide one that will not impact adversely on the look of the area.
Because of what I consider to be an unfortunate relaxation in planning regulations, many phone mast replacements and upgrades do not require planning permission from the local authority and this is what has happened in the case of the mast on Perth Road near Glamis Road. This effectively gives the mobile phone company the ability to put what it likes onsite and replace a phone mast which is well disguised as a telephone pole, tree or similar, with an undisguised pole which is an eyesore.
In the case of this particular site, I have written to the applicant and asked them to have some regard for the local area and replace like with like so a disguised pole is provided. I rather fear that the planning legislation is not stringent enough and allows mobile phone companies to put undisguised masts in residential areas, which is very unfortunate.