Plan to put mast on seafront building rejected

A mast to improve phone service in Rottingdean was proposed to go on the roof of St Margaret’s Court

Plans to put a mobile phone mast on the roof of a seafront building have been rejected.

Brighton and Hove City Council’s planning committee refused the proposal on behalf of EE and Three for St Margaret’s Court, at the southern end of Rottingdean High Street.

The committee was told that the antenna would replace the “emergency” mast which was put up in the nearby Marine Cliffs car park, in Marine Drive.

The emergency tower went up after the previous mast was removed so that the White Horse pub and hotel could be refurbished.

'Desperately needs connectivity'

Councillor Bridget Fishleigh said the temporary structure would have to go by October next year and she urged the phone firms to find a better site.

Ms Fishleigh, who represents Rottingdean, said: “We are in a telephone mast merry-go-round in Rottingdean, a tower for an independent company was refused earlier in the year as well as two other masts.

“The fact is that residents and businesses desperately need connectivity.”

At Hove Town Hall on 4 December, she urged the applicant, Mobile Broadband Network Limited (MBNL), to get in touch with her as they look for a suitable site.

She said that she understood why the residents did not want masts on their roof.

A report by planning officials recommended refusing the application and the committee did so by eight votes to two, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Locally listed St Margaret’s Court was built in 1938, designed by Richard Jones and built by Charles Neville’s Saltdean Estate Company.

The company also built the grade II* listed Saltdean Lido and grade II listed Ocean Hotel in Saltdean which were also designed by Jones.