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Supporting Statement
DATE: 14 June 2012
PREPARED BY:
Paul Hadfield Cable & Wireless
Cable & Wireless IoM REF: All Saints Church
Page 1
Cable & Wireless Communications Second Floor, 14, Athol Street, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 1JA T +44 (0)1624 692200 www.surecw.com
Cable & Wireless For of Man Limited Designated in the Isle of Man with Company Registration No. 0016219 241 Registration No. 032 0660 06 Direction: P & Defer, W Heidham 7-5 Ceiling CBI L.P. Crest 5M4 F & Saints, 6 Bedlam Registered office: PO Box 166 499 New York, Canada. Paed, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM99 1NZ
As a licensed Mobile operator on the Isle of Man, Cable & Wireless IoM Limited are continually striving to deliver a high quality telecommunications experience for all our customers.
The Cable & Wireless IoM Radio Access Network consists of a number of telecommunication sites around the island that have a combination of equipment, such as panel antennas and microwave transmission dishes.
Cable & Wireless IoM will endeavour whenever possible to install our equipment on existing infrastructure or radio transmitters. Where this is not possible and it is necessary to introduce additional telecommunications infrastructure – our supporting statement will justify both why the infrastructure is required and demonstrates that the best possible available site has been identified, keeping visual amenity as a priority at all times. Our aim is always to minimise the visual impact of our developing radio network.
This supporting statement will also help to explain the decisions which led to the specific location being chosen and what alternatives were discounted.
The proposed changes to All Saints Church, which is a Registered Building, consist of replacing four sections of brick lattices at the top of the steeple with radio transparent replicas which would then allow a telecommunications installation to be located inside the structure out of public view.
The specialized RF203 replacement panels, which are a similar material to fibre glass, will be constructed and painted by Dynamic Concepts. These consultants have a wealth of experience working on similar registered buildings in the UK; helping Cable & Wireless IoM to ensure there is very little if any visual impact to the church.
http://dynamicconcepts.co.uk/the-undetectables.asp
All Saints Church on Alexander Drive, Douglas with its good separation from adjacent buildings is an excellent location for a telecommunications installation that could drastically improve the telecommunications infrastructure for the surrounding businesses and residential areas.
All Saints Church, Alexander Drive
Already inside the space at the top of the church steeple is a motorised bell which will not be affected by the proposed work. (Photo of brick lattice work at All Saints)
A copy of the panel design drawings is attached to this statement
GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) is a polyester based resin which, when consolidated with a woven matt made from strands of glass, produces an extremely strong end product. It is extremely durable as it does not breakdown with age and is UV stable. The material is also extremely resilient and is therefore suitable for use in situations where the possibility of vandalism may be a concern.
Due to the material having a liquid composition prior to the addition of a catalyst, the materials can be formed into complex shapes with the use of a mould copied from the existing form. This means we are able to replicate the textures of materials used in
modern buildings, and are also able to replicate materials no longer available Our expertise with gel coats, colouring agents and paints can create a finish identical to the original material, be it granite, wood, slate, concrete, tile or brick. Where art working is required to allow the finished GRP panel to match the existing building we would use industrial based enamel paints. All of our artists have experience working in film, theatre and TV with the finished products being of an exceptional standard.
To give the additional support required to combat the wind loading on a standard flat sheet of GRP we would as normally add ' stiffeners' at approx. 500mm spacing horizontally. In the case of the panels required for All Saints Church, the lattice design has meant that we have decided to go forward with additional stiffeners at approx. $300 \mathrm{~mm}^{\wedge} 2$ throughout the panel. The panels will also have a 50 mm return around the perimeter to allow it to be fixed internally at 200 mm ctrs to the opening surround.
Cable \& Wireless IoM has no other telecommunication installations in the local area that can provide the required infrastructure and Manx Telecom has refused permission to share their existing telecommunications tower at Dalton Street Telephone Exchange.
As part of our selection process to find a suitable telecommunications site in this area other sites reviewed and discounted included:
As a result of our extensive planning work we believe that an installation inside the steeple at All Saints Church is the ideal location; there would be no visual impact and it's in the centre of our target area for improved infrastructure.
This proposal has been discussed with Ian Brooks and Stephen Moore at the Planning Office of the Department of Infrastructure.
This is our first planning application for this proposed site.
There is an urgent need for a telecommunication installation in this area for both residential and business users. Cable \& Wireless loM has been searching for a suitable site since 2007 to fill this gap in our telecommunications coverage of the Douglas.
The proposed alterations to All Saints Church provides the best possible solution as there would be very little or no visual impact to the Church or surrounding area and enables the full telecommunication installation to be located out of sight inside the structure of the steeple.
This site has been designed in accordance with the current mainland UK Cellular operator's guidance for both Occupational \& Public ICNIRP compliance. Our design consultants are satisfied that this site design complies with the above guidelines and therefore a signed ICNIRP certificate is enclosed with this application.
Estimated Electro-magnetic (EM) level = less than 1\% of ICNIRP limit
1) Isle of Man Government Statutory Boards, Offices \& Agencies Plans 2006-2009. Volume 3.
Page 25 under Communications Commission Aims \& Objectives Section: Objective: Social inclusion - to enhance access to services for the whole population: "We will enforce universal service obligations by telecoms operators with significant market power. They must provide telephone services throughout the Island," 2) Isle of Man Government Statutory Boards< Offices \& Agencies Plans 2005-2008. Volume 3 Page 20, under Communications Commission Aims \& Objectives Section. Objective; The built Environment -, to reduce the visual impact of telecommunications and radio infrastructure on the Island's landscape. "We will encourage increased mast sharing by broadcasters, under the Radio Masts Regulation Act Limitations". 3) The Town and Country Planning Act 1999.
Page 101"A balance must be struck between the need for new, evolving communications systems to satisfy residential and business demand and the impact that the necessary infrastructure will have upon the environment. Measures which may help to achieve a satisfactory balance will include a presumption against visually intrusive masts in sensitive landscapes, the encouragement of mast sharing by different operators, and the removal of redundant infrastructure. Exceptions to this policy would need to demonstrate a strategic national need, which cannot be otherwise secured by mast sharing or alternative locations."
Cable and Wireless IoM believe the installation complies with the Islands Policies above.
Cable \& Wireless IoM considers these proposed changes to the steeple at All Saints Church an ideal solution to provide improved telecommunications infrastructure for the local community whilst having very little or no visual impact.
Using the steeple at All Saints Church removes the need to externally mount telecommunications equipment onto buildings in the area or construct specialist towers or monopoles.
Our support team at Dynamic Solutions, who are specialist in this type of installation, ensures we have the expertise to deliver the proposed results discussed in this supporting statement.
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