Telecoms mast approved despite residents' concerns

Residents told the council there were concerns about the effect of the tower on the area

A telecommunications tower is set to be built despite residents’ concerns about its effect on nearby properties.

Icon Tower Infrastructure proposed the 70-ft (22.5m) mast and other telecommunications equipment for land at the Raven Café site in Prees Heath, just outside Whitchurch, Shropshire.

Residents expressed concerns about the tower’s visual impact with one objector describing it as “prominent and obtrusive”.

But a report from Shropshire Council’s planning officer concluded the mast would be well screened from nearby houses and was in keeping with the largely “commercial context” of the nearby businesses.

“The dwellings to the south-west, whilst visible from the site, are separated from the site and the car park in which the site sits by existing planting/trees,” the report said.

Icon Tower Infrastructure said the scheme would provide shared infrastructure that could be used by all four of the UK’s major mobile network operators in order to improve mobile phone connectivity in the area.

Residents had also called on the council to carry out an assessment on the effect on the tower on property values in the nearby Angus Gardens area.

“Whilst the public comment is noted, impact on house values is not a material planning consideration,” the report said.

Icon Tower Infrastructure said 19 alternative sites were considered in the area but none of them were suitable due to issues including highway safety concerns, parking, visual prominence and how close they were to overhead lines.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.