**Document:** APL Statement
**Application:** 24/00277/B — Installation of a 10 meter slimline lattice with multiple mobile panel antennas/dishes/radio kit with associated ground equipment cabinets and boundary fence
**Decision:** Permitted
**Decision Date:** 2024-05-10
**Parish:** Bride
**Document Type:** report / planning_statement
**Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/32251-bride-transmitter-north-east-corner-fence/documents/1059841

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# APL Statement

Mobile site with 10-meter slimline lattice FOR Sure (IOM) Ltd AT Sure Site 09 Field 114443 Kimmeragh Farm Bride Isle of Man IM7 4AR Planning Application Supporting Statement DATE: 5th March 2024 PREPARED BY: Alex Taylor Sure IOM Ltd

### Sure IOM REF: IOM_09 East Kimmeragh (Bride)

## The Proposal

![map or plan from page 2](https://images.planningportal.im/2024/03/7061335.jpg)

Sure are proposing to build and operate a new mobile site on Kimmeragh Farm, in Field 114443, Bride.

The proposed structure will be a 10-meter slimline lattice, capable of supporting multiple panel antennas, providing 2G, 3G and 4G/4G+ coverage in the area along with capability to support next generation mobile antenna technology, tower mounted remote radio heads (RRHs) will also be mounted near the new antennas, these are required to support MIMO* on the network.

*MIMO, Multiple In Multiple Out, this is a protocol required for higher speeds and high capacity 4G/LTE

The new proposed structure will also support smaller dishes known as microwave links used as transmission links for the site back to the Sure core network, the proposed design includes 2 microwave links, the size/location of the dishes on the included drawings for this application are indicative until a final vendor decision has been made, final sizes will be confirmed with planning ahead of installation.

## The Application Site

The proposed location for the mobile site will be on Field 114443, Kimmeragh Farm, we are proposing placing the site along the boundary hedge on the field, highlighted below in yellow, for reference the Kimmeragh Radio Site is located in the same field, highligted in red.

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## Site Selection Process

We believe that the proposed location for the new site will provide the best coverage to the area, other options that have been considered are outlined below with the reasons why they have been discounted.

- 1. Sure mobile site at West Kimmeragh a. This has been discounted due to the requirement to provide coverage to

Bride village, unfortunately, the Sure site at West Kimmeragh does not cover the village due to the location of the site and the surrounding landscape.

- 2. Kimmeragh Radio Site a. This has been discounted due to available space on the structure, as we

would need to mount our mobile panels near the top of the structure in order to provide the required coverage to the village, unfortunately, there is no option for Sure to mount kit on this structure in a suitable position.

- 3. Manx Telecom Site at Ballaskilley Farm a. Sure had previously operated from this structure up until February 2024 as a

site share with Manx Telecom, we have found the quality of the network performance in the main population area of Bride Village to be below our desired levels, along with this operational costs for this site have increased to levels that are unsustainable for the business therefore, Sure are looking to take the opportunity to improve performance for users in the area by relocating the site to an alternative location.

- 4. Bride Church (St Bridgets) a. We have looked at options to locate mobile equipment in the bell tower of

the Church, as it offered a central location to the Village along with a height gain and minimal visual impact, however, since submitting this application, there has been objections based on ecological and heritage grounds, as such we are looking into alternative options.

## Visual Impact

![map or plan from page 4](https://images.planningportal.im/2024/03/7061338.jpg)

We believe that the visual impact of the proposed structure will be minimal, due to the structure type, having opted for a slimline lattice we believe that the structure will be less visually intrusive than other structure options, such as a monopole, due to the fact that it will not be a solid structure, but rather one that you can essentially look through, helping it blend in with the surroundings.

The structure itself is a galvanised tower, this helps with mitigating visual impact further due to the structure blending better with the sky behind as you look up at it from surrounding areas

There is also the potential of painting the tower mounted equipment to match the structure to help blend the mobile equipment in.

We can also look at potentially planting common gorse around the site boundary to help mitigate the visual impact of the ground equipment, helping it blend with the current gorse that is growing along the hedgeline.

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The proposed location will be along the hedgeline – located within the area highlighted.

Examples below of slimline lattices that are currently deployed on a few Sure mobile sites around the Island.

## Large Hedges (Within 15-meters of proposed development)

There is a large hedgerow of common gorse that runs adjacent to the site, we may look to plant additional gorse to help mitigate visual impact from the new proposed site.

## Equipment Cabinets

![photograph from page 5](https://images.planningportal.im/2024/03/7061340.png)

![photograph from page 5](https://images.planningportal.im/2024/03/7061341.png)

![photograph from page 5](https://images.planningportal.im/2024/03/7061342.png)

The proposed equipment cabinets will be used to house mobile equipment that is required to support the radio equipment that is located on the structure with processing cards and site transmission equipment, there will also be power equipment within the cabinet, this will include battery back up in the event of power outages in the area to ensure the mobile coverage is maintained.

|Number of Cabs|2|
|---|---|
|Cabinet Height|1800mm|
|Cabinet Width|600mm|
|Cabinet Depth|600mm|
|Cabinet Colour|Neutral (options to paint to fit surroundings if deemed appropriate)|

Along with the mobile equipment cabinet, there will also be a meter cabinet where the Manx Utilities mains incoming supply for the site will be located.

## Antennas

The following antennas have been selected for the new proposed structure, the visual impact of the antennas should be minimal, due to the structure type and the neutral colour of the panel antennas, the antennas can also be painted to match the galvanised structure.

Antenna Type

2.0m Panel Antenna

Antenna Height

1998mm

Antenna Width

469mm

Antenna Depth

205mm

Antenna Frequency Ranges

690 – 960 MHz 1695 – 2690 Mhz

### * Equipment Cabinets & Antenna sizes/locations and quantities are indicative as the final vendor decision has not yet been made, sizing will be confirmed with planning ahead of installation *

## Need for Site Development

The current outdoor mobile coverage in Bride Village is quite poor, with indoor coverage impacted more so, this is causing issues for the residents of Bride as having access to good quality mobile telecommunication networks is becoming more essential to daily life, the proposed site in this application should help to improve mobile coverage in the area to relieve the current issues.

This will also help improve the mobile coverage for those seeking the emergency services in the area, these improvements directly support the Isle of Man Governments ‘Island Plan’ which has a vision of a digitally connected Island, that supports a tech enabled and future ready jurisdiction, Bride will benefit from greater network capacity and service due to these improvements to the Sure mobile site.

## Telecoms Policies

- 1. Isle of Man Government Statutory Boards, Offices & Agencies Plans 2006-2009. Volume 3.

- a. Page 25 under Communications Commission Aims & Objectives Section: Objective: Social inclusion – to enhance access to services for the whole population:
- b. “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

- a. 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.
- b. “We will encourage increased mast sharing by broadcasters, under the Radio Masts Regulation Act Limitations”.

- 3. The Town and Country Planning Act 1999. a. 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.”

- 4. 4) Isle of Man Government Digital Strategy and Digital Inclusion Strategy

### https://issuu.com/isleofmangovernment/docs/digital_strategy_v0.1?e=17903168 /13316277 https://www.gov.im/media/1352205/digital-inclusion-strategy-july-2016.pdf

- 5. 1.3 “Most people take digital technology and the internet for granted. It is something that has become so deeply embedded in daily life that it is hard to function when access to it is lost.”
- 6. 2.3 “In line with providing more digital services, Government needs to ensure that residents of the Island are equipped with the access, skills, motivation and trust to go online, to help those who want to be digitally capable to make the most of the internet.”

Sure IOM Ltd believes the proposed installation complies with the Island’s policies and strategies above.

## Summary

To summarise, we consider that this application will offer the best available solution to the enhancement of mobile service on the Sure network in the area.

The current levels of coverage in Bride are below the desired levels, this proposed site should enable Sure to provide more reliable coverage to residents of Bride, giving them access to good telecommunication services.

Therefore, the design proposed represents both the optimum planning, environmental and technical solutions in this instance. As such, we believe the development as proposed is in accordance with planning guidance as defined above.

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*Data sourced from the Isle of Man public planning register under the [Isle of Man Open Government Licence](https://www.gov.im/about-this-site/open-government-licence/).*
*Canonical page: https://planningportal.im/a/32251-bride-transmitter-north-east-corner-fence/documents/1059841*