In May 2022, CK Hutchison, the company who operates the ‘3’ network in Italy, the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Austria and Ireland, put in a planning application for a new 5G phone mast on the Avenue.
The plan was to place the phone mast on the corner of the green opposite The Avenue parade of shops. It would have reached 15m in height, higher than the rooves of the flats over the shops. In addition new cabinets would have been built alongside it.
There were many objections to the application, including from the MRA, whose objections were:
- The height of the proposed tower would be out of keeping with the surrounding residential area being significantly taller than existing structures.
- The proposed location would be highly visible and in our opinion would impact adversely on the amenity value of this local green space as well as directly on surrounding neighbours.
- Best endeavours should be given to utilising the nearby water tower, an existing landmark of appropriate height, rather than installations of this nature.
On 27th June 2022 the East Herts Council Development Management Committee refused the new mast for the following reasons:
- The proposed mast, by reason of its inappropriate height and siting would be at odds with the built form in this setting. The high visibility of the mast in the public realm means that it would appear unduly dominant and overly prominent in the surrounding area. There would be an adverse impact upon the character and appearance of the site, the surrounding area and the approach to the town. Therefore, the proposal would be contrary to Sections 10 and 12 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021).
- The proposed telecoms cabinets, by reason of quantity, height and siting would result in visual clutter and be visually obtrusive in the streetscene, to the detriment of the character and appearance of the area, contrary to policies ED3 and DES4 of the East Herts District Plan (2018) and Section 10 and 21 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021).