Rejected Renfrewshire 5G Mast Appeal

CK Hutchison Networks filed an appeal after proposals to build a 20m-high 5G mast in Houston were rejected.

02:16 26 January 2022

CK Hutchison Network has filed an appeal after it fails to secure approval for its proposal to build a phone mast on Magnus Road, less than 100m away from an existing one. 

 

The network, which operates Three, has taken its case to the Scottish government.

 

Residents who opposed the plans have staged a protest last year highlighting that the chosen site is a highly-populated residential area. The local council has sided with the residents and agreed that the phone mast would have a detrimental impact on the visual amenity of the area. 

 

The local council has said that it is disappointed that an appeal had been lodged. 

 

The Labour elected member said: "It gives the impression of trying to undermine public scrutiny.

 

"It's really disappointing they have chosen to go down this route and I think the original decision by the council should be upheld.

 

"There is already a 20m-high mast in Magnus Road which sprung up almost overnight despite concerns from residents. The shock was palpable for people and some cannot look out their own windows without seeing it now.

 

"It feels like an affront on the whole idea local people have the power to make decisions.

 

"Everyone understands we need to have good telecoms infrastructure and there will be an impact on the environment we live in but we need to strike a balance or we could find ourselves in a situation where residential sites become overrun by rows and rows of masts.

 

"We also need to consider the impact of street furniture on the visually impaired because it's not just the mast but the cabinet around it that can cause issues for people who struggle with their vision."