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RECEIVED ON
DEPT. OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENT
DHA Tower Carnane. Upper Howe Castletown Road Douglas
DATE 28.11.06
PREPARED BY:
CH2M HILL
CABLE & WIRELESS ISLE OF MAN REF: 39 - Carnane
CABLE & WIRELESS
Cable and Wireless Isle of Man Limited (C & W) have recently been awarded an Isle of Man (IOM) Mobile Operators License issued by the Island's Communications Commission to provide a mobile phone network and service to the Island's inhabitants and visitors. This service will compete with the incumbent operator (Manx Telecom) and will allow greater choice and competition for the consumers.
The Mobile phone network will consist of a number of sites that have a combination of equipment, such as panel antenna that provide coverage in the vicinity and also transmission dishes that link sites together and with others in the wider network to provide continuous coverage throughout the Island.
Where possible C&W will endeavour to install their equipment on existing infrastructure or radio transmitters. The aim always is to minimise the visual impact of providing this new mobile phone network.
Where this is not possible and it is necessary to introduce additional telecommunications infrastructure onto the Island this supporting statement will justify both why the infrastructure is required and demonstrate that the best possible available site has been identified keeping visual amenity as a priority at all times.
It will also help to explain the decisions which led to the specific location being chosen and what alternatives were discounted.
A variety of supporting information may be included with each application but ultimately the C&W aim is to minimise the number of new structures and the overall visual impact of the network whilst providing sufficient signal strength to provide coverage for customers to take advantage of the C&W services that will become available.
The proposed development will consist of placing 3 no. panel antenna and 6 no. transmission dishes (4 no. 600mm, 1 no. 900mm and 1 no. 300mm) onto an existing 40.5m dedicated steel lattice telecommunications mast, at a height of approximately 22m. At ground level, an equipment cabin of approximately 17.5 cubic metres and dark grey in colour will be positioned against the north east outer wall of the existing brick-built equipment building (of approximately 1,000 cubic metres).
For further details, please refer to the General Arrangement plans that accompany this application.
The site is located on an elevated area of farmland overlooking the south of Douglas. On this hill top are two existing dedicated telecommunications mast – both of which host varying levels of transmission and broadcast equipment. The tower closest to Douglas is a 77m steel guyed mast owned and operated by National Grid Wireless. Although this site was originally considered, we have been advised by NGW that the tower needs some work to be able to host additional equipment. The second mast is a 40.5m steel lattice owned and operated by the Isle of Man Department of Home Affairs. This tower has existing capacity to accept additional equipment, so this tower was nominated as preferred option accordingly.
In addition to the mast, the proposed site consists of a large brick-built equipment room located within a compound of approximately 1100square metres. The wider area is agricultural or grazing farmland that dominates the hillside and the surrounding land.
The proposed site is accessed by a steep narrow road that leads only to the two telecom sites
and a farmstead located 250m to the south east of the site. The nearest residential properties after the farmstead are over 600m away, and cannot overlook the site due to the ground height of the hillside.
The proposed site provides excellent quality coverage to the residents and businesses in Southern Douglas and to local stretches of the A1, A5, A6, A24 roads in this area. This is due to the site's naturally-high ground level and the c.22m height we have on the tower. It is also being used as a hub site due to the fact we can place 6 dishes on the site to provide important connectivity for our proposed network. It also will be used to link the majority the proposed sites in Douglas to the wider network.
There is no other site capable of giving this coverage with such minimal effect on visual appearance, other than the NGW tower on the same hillside. The NGW Tower, however, is not considered capable of holding the equipment we require due to the fact it is currently at its loading capacity. Evidence of which is the large number of guy ropes currently in place.
It is felt the construction of a new tower in the vicinity would not be viewed favourably, which would be the only other option, rather than using the existing towers.
We have met on several occasions with Ian Brooks to discuss various proposals including this site. Mr Brooks has accepted the fact that this is a good structure to utilise and supports its use.
Due to the fact that we are placing a cabin at ground level (as there is not sufficient room to put the equipment inside the existing equipment room) this is considered development and therefore requires a formal planning application.
We understand there have been a number of telecoms operators erecting and removing telecommunications equipment at this site over the years. We are not aware of any current or recent planning activity at this site that would adversely affect this application.
Cable and Wireless do not have any existing sites on the Isle of Man. In order to provide coverage to potential customers in the southern Douglas area, and to local stretches of the A1, A5, A6, A24 roads, a site is needed in this area. Where new sites are required, we are looking first to utilise the large existing dedicated telecommunications mast around the island, of which the DHA-owned tower at Carnane is included. There would be little reason to try and consider a new site in this area given the two telecommunications structures already in situ.
If this location is not supported, there will still be a need for site in this area, and we feel the very best location has already been identified by this application. Without a site in this area, many residents, businesses, and tourists will not be able take advantage of having a choice of Mobile Operator which the issuing of new licences was (in part) designed to accommodate.
The enclosed coverage plots demonstrate how this site will contribute to the Cable and Wireless network, and the extent of the coverage it is anticipated to provide. In addition to coverage, the site is also part of a network of sites that communicate by dish link. The links must have direct line-of-site to one another to operate – of which this site provides for more than adequately.
The addition of the Cable & Wireless Isle of Man mast-mounted equipment will not adversely affect the visual amenity of the existing tower, as there is already a large amount of equipment in situ. The existing tower is specifically designed to accommodate sharing, and thus this has been deemed the very best option to pursue in this location.
Cable & Wireless had originally wished to place their equipment inside of the existing equipment building, therefore eliminating the need for an outdoor position. However, there is insufficient space to accommodate this, and this is the only reason we are requiring an outdoor cabin.
As a result, we feel that by opting to share a site that is designed for that very purpose, we are complying with all planning policies and government guidelines, as well as preserving the visual amenity of the area.
We acknowledge the site is located within an Area of High Landscape or Costal Value and Scenic Significance, as designated by the 1982 Development Plan. However, we also note that the site (including both the DHA & NGW towers) is designated by the same Plan as a Radio Transmitting Site.
We would hope that this would be taken into account when considering this application
We have reviewed the draft strategic plan in order that we adhere to the requirements and directives contained therein wherever possible.
The following was particularly noted:
1.6.1 “Where unusual matters arise, or where there is no Manx guidance, it will often be appropriate and helpful to have regard to legal judgements or advice published in the UK or the EU”.
In cases where there is no clear guidance we have followed the UK best practice as outlined in PPG8.
It was evident from the 6 main strategic aims looking at maintaining ‘Quality of Life’ then there must be a balance between economic progress in the pursuit of “manageable and sustainable growth” 2.3(2) and the need “to protect and improve the quality of the environment” 2.3(4)
This is further highlighted as follows:
3.3 (d) - “to protect the individual character of and identity of settlements and to identify and protect those green spaces in built areas which contribute positively to public amenity”.
3.4 (c) - “to safeguard and provide for the needs and aspirations of existing and new location dependant businesses”.
Within the transport and Communications section it states:
3.5 (h) – “to ensure that the island is well served by modern telecommunications without compromising the protection of our landscape”.
Finally within Transport Infrastructure and Utilities:
11.9.2 – “It is important that a balance be struck between the need for new evolving telecommunications systems to satisfy residential and business demand and the impact that the necessary infrastructure will have on 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.
The inspector’s comments were also viewed in relation to the draft plan.
Policies in EP1-3 set out protective policies for the countryside. Development which would have an adverse effect on the character and appearance of the landscape within the existing designated areas will not be permitted. In these areas the protection and conservation of the landscape will be the most important consideration. However development will be permitted where;
In all cases during the search and planning consultation we have endeavoured always to compromise our technical requirements with the need to reduce visual impact of the proposed development by best use of design and location.
We believe that the design and location have been carefully considered in this instance and we also believe we have demonstrated the importance of this site to give vital coverage. This therefore forms an important part of this ‘national need’ to provide the Isle of Man with a competitive mobile network.
This site has been designed in accordance with the current mainland UK Cellular operators 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.
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”. Cable and Wireless believe the installation complies with the Islands Telecoms Policies above.
We consider in summary therefore
There is a definite need for the site both as a vital link site and to also provide important coverage to South Douglas and the surrounding main A roads.
The siting and appearance has been carefully considered to provide the least visual impact possible, by sharing an existing large lattice mast, and positioning outdoor equipment against much larger existing buildings.
The design proposed represents both the optimum planning/environmental and technical solution in this instance. As such the development as proposed is in accordance with planning guidance as defined above.
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