Emergency Service Masts for Yorkshire Dales

Proposals for 999 masts in Yorkshire Dales more likely to be finally approved after amendments.

14:52 07 June 2018

The Home Office has previously reached out to Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority on behalf of the emergency services with a proposal to install two 40-foot high masts with the goal to improve coverage for emergency services.

 

The application states: "The proposal will significantly improve on the deficiencies and limitations of the existing Emergency Services Network.

 

"They are part of the programme intended to provide voice and data reception to areas that previously lacked coverage as well as enabling applications such as sending patient details to a hospital to enable staff to prepare for their arrival, video recording of arrests on a police officers body camera and live streaming to nearby offices.”

 

Muker Parish Council had originally objected to the proposal saying that the masts are visually intrusive and plans did not fully opened up the possibility of being used to improve mobile phone coverage for the public.

 

Changes have since made to the Gunnerside mast proposal and it will now be a lattice design so it can be used by several commercial operators.

 

Applications for both masts are now being recommended for approval.

 

North Yorkshire County Councillor John Blackie said: “These masts are desperately needed.

 

"The original concerns were that it was not good enough that Government money was going to be spent on these vital improvements to communications for emergency services, and people living in these deeply rural areas would not benefit.

 

“The changes open up the possibility for mobile phone operators to really extend the services to where they are needed.”