St Leonards ‘eyesore’ 5G mast bid - appeal made over refusal

Hutchison UK Ltd wants to put the 15-metre monopole on the grass area between 275 and 293 Battle Road, opposite 174 Lower Glen Road between the bus stop and postbox.

It had applied to Hastings Borough Council for planning permission but was refused last July.

Objectors have voiced their concerns and have submitted online comments.

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Liz Bygrave said: “I agree with the planning department that reducing the height of the mast from 18 metres to 15 metres won’t prevent this mast being an obtrusive eyesore for those living and working nearby.

“It would still be 5M higher than the streetlights and nearby trees, and would still be an incongruous and over-dominant development which would be highly visible and have a negative effect on visual amenity, both close to the mast and from more distant viewpoints.

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“The planning department raise a crucial point about this site being the only open green space on Battle Road, and thus important to preserve, and that erecting a mast on this site would harm the character and appearance of this green space.”

Cara Colvin said: “I feel the mast would look awful in an area with so many houses and would be harmful to the character and appearance of the local and wider area.”

John Briggs said: “The proposed antenna is 15m high, very substantially higher than the mostly two-storey buildings around it. This is especially true where the nearby two-storey terraced houses to the west of the site between Hollington Old Lane and Battle Road are concerned as they are situated on lower ground. It will therefore be an overbearing eyesore, ugly and obtrusive, contributing to visual clutter.”

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In an appeal statement, WHP Telecoms Ltd, agents for Hutchison UK Ltd, said: “The applicant is confident that the proposed telecommunications monopole and ancillary infrastructure would not, by virtue of its design, be detrimental to the amenity or character of the area, and that robust evidence has been provided to demonstrate the need for this location.

“There are also clear and demonstrable public benefits arising from the provision of a 5G network in the proposed location.

“The associated ancillary equipment cabinets are within the size limits to be classified as permitted development without prior approval and should not be considered as a reason for refusal. Notwithstanding this it is important to note that the equipment has been positioned on the grass verge to utilise the natural screening from the vegetation that fronts Battle Road, so as to reduce the visual impact and to avoid impeding pedestrian flow.”

The appeal will be heard by the Planning Inspectorate at a later date.

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