Sunderland 5G mast plans approved

The existing mast, in the Pallion area, will be made bigger to facilitate 5G technology

Plans for a 20m-high (66ft) mast and "5G mobile base station" have been approved.

Sunderland City Council’s planning department backed an application for a site near Pallion New Road.

It will be housed near industrial units and the Sunderland LGV Driver Training centre off Lisburn Terrace, and adjacent to the green space alongside homes in Corning Road.

The plans from Cellnex UK Limited, submitted earlier this year, aim to upgrade the existing telecoms infrastructure at the site, including increasing the size of the mast and installing new equipment.

A covering letter submitted with the application said it had been made "on behalf of EE Ltd and Hutchison 3G UK Ltd with Mobile Broadband Network Limited", and aimed to create a "5G mobile base station".

A planning statement confirmed this would include the replacement of existing equipment to "facilitate 5G technology and enable improved service provision".

It added it was based in a "commercial area with a high demand for mobile network services".

'Industrial backdrop'

Those behind the scheme added the "least visually intrusive solution" of upgrading the existing site had been put forward and would "eliminate the need to introduce additional base stations within the cell search area".

After considering the application, Sunderland City Council's planning department approved it on Friday, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

In a decision report, council planners said the site would be partially screened by existing trees and there would be a "negligible" impact on the visual amenity of the area.

It was also argued the "industrial backdrop further legitimises the acceptability of siting the replacement and additional apparatus at this established telecommunications compound".