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Wickwar Rejects 5G Proposal
Local council rejects 5G proposals in Wickwar due to "visual harm"
13:29 15 May 2023
Three UK's application to build a large 5G mast in the heart of a village near Yate was officially rejected by the local council due to 'visual harm'.
The telecoms giant submitted the application to South Gloucestershire Council seeking permission to install an 18-metre tall street pole near Wickwar High Street as the area is "already struggling to cope with demand" and "an increase in 5G capacity is required".
However, the proposals were met with concerns about the proximity of the mast to historic buildings. Residents submitted 187 letters of objections following the submission of the application, which was officially rejected by the local council on March 22 citing the mast's potential impact on the historic village.
SGC councillor Pat Trull (Frampton Cotterell, Lib Dem) said: “In my opinion this is a dreadful place to put this monopole and the cabinets,”
“There are precious few green areas in Wickwar and this will be a colossal eye sore.
“The monopole and cabinets could very well obscure the view of drivers accessing Sodbury Road from the turning into Inglestone Road. Surely there must be better places to put this pole?”
One of the reports in the decision reads: “The mast would therefore be a very prominent feature in the local landscape.
“The mast, at 18 metres high, would be a very imposing structure upon and within the area and highly visible from a number of directions and distances.
“The mast would tower above the nearby residential properties, and other locations which reduce this impact should be considered.
"It would have a negative impact upon the visual amenity of the locality.”
“As can be seen with other 5G installations, they are significant in scale and result in monolithic massing and represent a significantly harmful and intrusive in addition to the street scene.