Officer Planning Report Recommendation

Application No.: 06/02136/B Applicant: Cable And Wireless Isle Of Man Limited Proposal: Installation of three antennas and two transmission dishes to existing building and installation of equipment cabinets Site Address: Area Of Land Adjacent To Island Studios Baldromma Farm Jurby Road Ramsey Isle Of Man ### Considerations Case Officer: Mr Ian Brooks Expected Decision Level: Delegation ### Written Representations ### Consultations Consulttee: Manx National Heritage Notes: Lengthy response see original correspondence. Consulttee: Highways Division Notes: Do not oppose Consulttee: Lezayre Parish Commissioners Notes: Approve

Officer's Report

SITE

• The application site is large industrial type building situated to the south of the Jurby Road (A13) on the outskirts of Ramsey.
• The building is used as a film studio.
• The site is zoned as an area not zoned for development and an area of high landscape value and scenic significance.
• To the north of the Island Studios complex is a residential property which approximately located 220m away from the application site.

To the south of the site is a field and beyond that is the River Sulby.

Proposed Development

• The application is proposing to install three antennas and two transmission dishes to the existing building and the installation of equipment cabinets.

• Three cabinets will be installed on site. These will measure as follows:
• Electrical meter cabinet - 1m x 0.32 x 1.1m
• Equipment cabinet - 0.915m x 0.68m x 1.94m
• Power One PSU - 0.8m x 0.85m x 1.94m

• The cabinets will be colour coated green.

• The dishes, antennas and steel mountings are to be painted to match the existing profile steel cladding of the building.

Planning Status And Relevant Policies

• Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Development Plan Order) 1982.
• Isle of Man Strategic Plan (Modified Draft) (November 2004)

Planning History

• None of relevance to the planning applications.

Representations

• Lezayre Commissioners have approved the application. Unanimous. With the proviso that the structures are sufficiently screened to make them less obtrusive. The Commissioners would also ask that attention is given to completion of the landscaping that Island Studios Ltd were required to carry out as part of a previous planning approval given to them.

• Manx National Heritage (MNH) have made the following comments in relation to a number of applications:

• The above applications form part of the infrastructure for a new mobile telecommunications network proposed by Cable and Wireless. In total we understand that the planning office has deemed that twenty-three proposals require planning permission, but in reality there will be around four times this number of new installations needed to make this system functional.

• The Trustees of MNH are deeply concerned at the scale of this scheme, which would appear to fly in the face of both the purpose and the draft findings of the Committee on Transmission (CoTA), set up in October 2001 as a result of a Council of Ministers consideration in February 2001 that there was a need for a policy framework with the overall objective of minimising the number of sites where new masts would be required, taking account of new technologies and encouraging mast sharing. Consideration was also given to requiring any proposal for the development of a new or further development of an existing site to minimise the impact the development would have on the natural and cultural environment and to show that there was no viable alternative solution. None of these applications can realistically be considered in complete isolation, as the impact of the network as a whole must be assessed.

• The Draft Strategic Plan rightly considers this issue and states "11.9.3 A Committee which includes representations from all interested parties has been established to con-ordinate the use and development of communication masts and infrastructure. The Government Plan 2004/7 includes a proposal to increase mast sharing by operators.

Infrastructure Policy 4:

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.

• In planning statements accompanying several of the applications where site selection and the potential for sharing facilities have been discussed, the applicant claims to have approached the development on the basis of creating a minimum network required to operate effectively and robustly in the face of estimated demand, thus minimising environmental impact and maximising effectiveness against initial cost.

• In our view, however, all the applications lack detailed consideration of the concept of employing the best available technology in order to minimise the cumulative impact of this network on the Manx landscape. In many of the applications the developer has dismissed the possibility of redeveloping existing sites in favour of co-location, this the creation of an additional single-user mast together with attendant equipment cabins, cabinets and security compounds. The result is that where, less than a decade ago, telecommunications masts were a rarity on the Island there is now one set of masts for Manx Telecom, another set proposed by Cable & Wireless, and the prospect of yet more for Cloud9.

• This is clearly proliferation of exactly the kind which CoTA process was designed to avoid: mast sharing was a key element of the recommendations drafted by the Committee. Planning Approval for such an infrastructure will have a significant impact on the Isle of Man and its landscape.

• Furthermore, we are concerned that in bringing forward a network which has been avowedly developed on the basis of minimising new sites, there will consequently be great pressure on the Planning Committee to give approval for all of the applications, since if one falls, then the effectiveness of the network will be reduced or even compromises to the point where it is unworkable. The base station sites are particularly vulnerable in this respect.

• Under such circumstances, we believe that it would be most appropriate for all of these applications to be considered together by an independent planning inspector with the opportunity to assess properly the impact of the entire network and the technical background necessary to make an informed recommendation. For this reason, on a matter which is clearly of national significance, we would strongly urge that these applications be "called-in" for public inquiry

Assessment

• This application is one of many recently submitted applications by the applicant for the installation of various types of telecommunication developments across the island.

• The options for the design used by an operator will be affected by the site conditions, technical constraints, landscape features and capacity requirements. The main options would include

• Mast and/or site sharing;
• Installation on existing buildings and structures;
• Camouflaging or disguising equipment
• Using small scale equipment;
• Erecting new ground based masts.

• The applicant has indicated the site is being used to cover Northern and Western areas of Ramsey. It also provides coverage the A13 down to its junction with the B14 as well as the A3 towards Glentramman. It has been stated there are no existing telecoms structures and there are no other buildings that were considered appropriate to cover this area due to the fact none had the height.

• The applicant has stated that this building offers the best opportunity to get the coverage into the target area. The applicant believes the proposal allow them to get the height required by using the existing building without the need to develop a new monopole. I consider this site is the most preferable as it is a means to reduce the overall mast numbers to be developed.

• In respect of the impact of the visual amenities from the Jurby Road and the Lezayre Road. The application site is set well back from the public highway but still visible from the road. The proposed antennas and dishes will be paint to blend in with the existing building. The proposed infrastructure would be difficult to notice within the landscape. The proposed structure would not appear out of place due to the existence of an industrial building within the landscape. Furthermore I do not consider that the introduction of an additional vertical element breaching the ridge height of the building will appear incongruous by reason of its height and visual appearance within the locality.

• The proposed equipment cabinets are of standard design and size and will be green and will have limited impact on the visual amenities of the area.

• I disagree with Manx National Heritage's comment if one of the planning applications falls, then the effectiveness of the network will be reduced or even compromised to the point where it is unworkable. Manx National Heritage have not taken a practical approach in the assessment of the application. The failure of any site does not mean the network is ineffective or unworkable. It just means that the applicant has to propose an alternative site which is appropriate for the locality and to provide the coverage for that particular area. The applications are purely to allow an assessment of site specific issues and not to assess the cumulative impact on the network as a whole.

• The comment from MNH also focuses on the proliferation of masts in the Manx landscape. Cable and Wireless are using an existing building which reduces the need for new mast to be erected within the countryside.

• Furthermore, the points raised in their correspondence relate to the natural and cultural environment and the cumulative impact on the Manx landscape. Since the site is located in an existing industrial building within the countryside and the applicants are using existing infrastructure compared to new mast I do not consider the points made are relevant in the determination of this planning application.

Recommendation

I therefore recommend that planning permission be granted subject to conditions in the attached schedule.

Party Status

The Department of Transport and the local authority are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (c) and (d), considered "interested persons" and as such should be afforded party status.

Whilst Manx National Heritage represents a statutory authority, the points raised in correspondence relate to the natural and cultural environment, the cumulative impact on the Manx landscape and the proliferation of mast. Since the site is located in an existing industrial building within the countryside and the applicants are using existing infrastructure compared to new mast I do not consider the points made are relevant in the determination of this planning application. I therefore recommend that Manx National Heritage should not be afforded party status in this instance.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal

• : Notes attached to refusals

C 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.

C 2. This permission relates to the installation of three antennas and two transmission dishes to the existing building and the installation of equipment cabinets as shown in drawing numbers 02136/1, 103/110 Issue A, 103/112 Issue B, 103/113 Issue C, 103/114 Issue C103/117 Issue A dated stamped 8th December 2006, Supporting statement prepared by CH2M Hill dated 4th December 2006, Declaration of Conformity with ICNIRP Public Exposure Guidelines dated 07/12/06

C 3. Within one month of the installation of the antennas, transmission dishes and equipment cabinets hereby approved, they shall be colour coated in full accordance with details shown on the approved plans. Any replacement or modification shall be colour coated to match within one month of being carried out.

C 4. In the event of the antennas, transmission dishes and equipment cabinets erected under this approval becoming redundant it must be taken down and removed from the site within 3 months of cessation of use.

I confirm that this decision accords with Government Circular Nos 44/05 (Delegation of Functions to Director of Planning and Building Control) and 47/05 (Delegation of Functions to Senior Planning Officer)

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 22/2/07 Signed: [Signature] M. I. McCauley Director of Planning and Building Control