Plans to upgrade phone signal in part of Telford delayed after opposition from residents
Plans to upgrade the mobile phone signal in a part of Telford has been delayed after facing opposition from local residents.
Applicant Cornerstone wanted to install a radio base station which they said would provide upgraded 3G, 4G and new 5G technologies to Admaston.
They proposed to install the station on a highway verge on Shawbirch Road, between the B5063 and Brandon Avenue.
“There is a specific requirement for coverage at this location to ensure that the latest high-quality 3G and 4G service provision is provided in this area of the Admaston,” said the applicant in their planning documents.
“The proposed upgrade will also ensure that new 5G coverage can be provided at this location. This ensures that coverage and capacity requirements are maintained and enhanced.
“A site in this location will fill the gap in service provision and provide high quality, reliable, advanced 3G, 4G and 5G to this urban area of Admaston.”
Cornerstone added that the radio base station would meet the extra demands on the network as more people use internet-enabled handheld devices.
They added that the station would allow people to use their handheld devices without calls being dropped or buffering occurring where there is a gap in the operator’s network coverage and capacity ability.
However, the plans received opposition from 13 different residents in the surrounding area.
One Shawbirch resident argued that the mast would impact on the safety of pedestrians and that the road is commonly used by school children to access a school.
There was also concerns raised by objectors about the mast reducing pedestrians’ walking space.
Another resident also felt that an alternative location for the mast should be found.
They added: “It feels like there could be more suitable areas, away from people’s homes to enable 5G connections. The area is a dark spot (O2 have zero signal), so it would make more sense to build potentially opposite where there is woodland and no residence.”
Concerns were also raised by objectors about the health impacts of a 5G radio base station, it being ‘visually intrusive’ and detracting from the area’s character and appearance.
In response to health concerns the applicant said: “The strong consensus of scientific opinion and public health agencies, such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), is that no dangers to health have been established from exposure to the low-level radio signals used for mobile communications, including 5G, when used within guidelines.”
Letters of support were received by the council from one Dawley resident who argued that having a 5G mast in the area was needed for modern technology.
Wellington Town Council were consulted and made no objection to the proposals.
In a letter to the applicant planning officer Chloe Edgington said: “I have also now had the opportunity to assess the scheme and the LPA would like to explore a different location for the equipment so that it was further away from the residential dwellings at Picasso Close.
“This is to try and ensure that the scheme will not result in any significantly detrimental harm in relation to the character and appearance of the surrounding area, especially if it needs to be set back further from the highway to satisfy the LHA.
In response the applicant said that they were ‘happy to review their site selection’ and withdrew plans.
