Controversial Douglas phone mast plans scrapped

Residents objected to the plans the the mast on Woodbourne Lane in Douglas

A decision to allow controversial plans for a phone mast in a conservation area in the Isle of Man's capital has been overturned at appeal.

Proposals for the 15m (49ft) pole on an empty plot of land on Woodbourne Lane in Douglas by telecoms company Sure were approved by planners in July.

The decision sparked an angry response from residents in the area.

But that ruling has now been overturned by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA).

The initial approval of the plans was criticised by residents in the area and Douglas Council, which had voted to appeal against the decision.

Michelle Haywood MHK, who was given delegated responsibility for the decision by the DEFA minister, backed a recommendation by an independent planning inspector to refuse the application.

'Significant harm'

In the report, the inspector said the planned development would cause "significant harm to the character and appearance" of the neighbouring Selborne Drive conservation area, and would "adversely affect views" within the Woodbourne Road conservation area.

The mast would "result in significant harm to residential amenity by adversely affecting the outlook from dwellings in the area surrounding the site", he said

The applicant had failed "sufficiently to demonstrate that there is a strategic national need for the development which cannot be secured by mast sharing or alternative locations", he added.

Sure previously said the mast would help to "future-proof the island's mobile technologies including 5G".