Bilsdale transmitter: Replacement TV mast could take months to build

The mast, seen here in three images, caught fire on 10 August

A temporary replacement TV mast for the fire-damaged Bilsdale transmitter could take two months to build and would be unsuitable for winter, it has emerged.

Mast operator Arqiva wants to put a 262ft (80m) mast in a quarry to replace services lost on 10 August.

A meeting of the North York Moors National Park Authority (NPA) heard its construction was some way from starting and would take a month alone.

Worst affected households will be given a partial refund of their TV licence.

A million people across Teesside, North Yorkshire and County Durham were impacted by the blaze, but the majority of homes have had services restored.

The NPA heard there is a legal wrangle with landowners to gain access to the proposed site which has delayed proceedings, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Members were told many people living in the North East and Cumbria BBC area of North Yorkshire south of Teesside still had no signal and frustrations had been exacerbated in the Bilsdale area by the lack of a mobile phone signal as a result of the fire.

The authority's director of planning Chris France said emergency national planning regulations allowed replacement masts as long as they were movable without the need to go through the planning process.

The transmitter is on the North York Moors

Arqiva has proposed to put it on sleds, weighed down by large blocks of concrete flown there by helicopters.

But, as the site is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and had been classified as a European Special Protection Area and a Special Area of Conservation, there may be the need to install additional screening, for which a consultation would be needed which could take a further month.

Mr France said as the temporary mast would not be permanently tied down it would not be suitable over the winter at such a height and exposed location and after three months, Arqiva had indicated "another replacement mast" may be required which they said would be subject to full planning permission.

A spokesman for Arqiva said as Bilsdale is a Site of Special Scientific Interest to replicate what is there would not be a simple task.

He also said the legal case is "taking longer than anticipated".

Customers will be able to request an extension to their licence through the TV Licensing website, or via calling TV Licensing call centre on 0300 790 6096 after 10 September.

Further advice regarding services can be found here.

BBC television remains available on iPlayer and radio stations can be listened to on BBC Sounds.

Some Freeview channels have been restored but some viewers may need to retune. More information can be found online or by calling 0800 121 4828.