5G Mast Rejected by Chesterfield Borough Council

Chesterfield councillors reject Three's application for a 20-metre high mast, saving trees in a small area of woodland from being cut down.

08:12 03 November 2021

On Monday (25 October), Chesterfield councillors have officially rejected Three's application for a 20-metre mast in a small area of woodland on Spital Lane as the scheme requires clearing an area of trees. 

 

The proposals were also met by objections from 380 residents who were concerned about the mast's visual impact and its potential effects on wildlife in the area. 

 

However, in an application, Three said: "There is no reliable evidence to date that exposure to the electro-magnetic radiation associated with mobile phones and similar technologies can lead to a significant health risk.”

 

Development management and conservation manager Paul Staniforth said that the trees that currently occupy the site are about eight to ten metres high. “It will be very visible because it will be twice the height of the trees at the end of the street,” he added.

 

Councillor Ray Catt commented: “We cannot make decisions without statistics on the difference between chopping five trees down and replacing them, which is what it usually says in planning, because we all know that to replace five trees we need to plant about 60 to get any benefit.”

 

Members voted unanimously against the proposal.