**Document:** APL Statement
**Application:** 24/91146/B — Redevelopment of an existing Sure Mobile site that will consist of replacing the current monopole with a new 15 meter slimline lattice with multiple mobile panel antennas/dishes/radio kit with associated ground equipment cabinets and boundary fence.
**Decision:** Permitted
**Decision Date:** 2024-12-02
**Parish:** Lezayre
**Document Type:** report / planning_statement
**Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/33424-lezayre-sure-mobile-site-replacement/documents/1076851

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# APL Statement

Replacement Structure FOR Sure (IOM) Ltd AT Sure Site 35 Cable & Wireless Site Ramsey Boat Yard Ramsey Isle of Man IM8 3DT Planning Application Supporting Statement

DATE: 30th September 2024 PREPARED BY: Alex Taylor Sure IOM Ltd

### Sure IOM REF: IOM_35 Ramsey Boat Yard

## Introduction

In 2006/7 Sure Isle of Man Limited (Sure) was awarded an Isle of Man (IOM) Mobile Operators Licence, issued by the Islands Communications Commission (CURA), to provide a mobile phone network and services to the Islands inhabitants and visitors. This service competes with the incumbent operator (Manx Telecom) and allows greater choice and competition for consumers and businesses.

The Sure Mobile Network is made up of multiple sites around the Island, these mobile sites use radio equipment to provide mobile coverage around the Island, this equipment includes mobile panel antennas, radio equipment and also transmission dishes that we use to link our remote sites back to our core network. All our sites then combined provide all Island coverage for our customers.

Sure, will endeavour whenever possible, to install its equipment on existing infrastructure or radio transmitters. The aim is always to minimise the visual impact of providing mobile phone network infrastructure.

Where this is not possible, and it is necessary to introduce additional telecommunications infrastructure, this supporting statement will justify why the infrastructure is required and demonstrate that the best possible design available for the site has been identified, always keeping visual impact and amenity a priority.

It will also help to explain the decisions which led to the specific location being chosen and will outline which alternatives were considered and discounted.

A variety of supporting information may be included with each application but ultimately Sures aim is to minimise the number of new structures and reduce the visual impact of the network, whilst providing sufficient signal strength to provide coverage for customers to take advantage of a range of Sures services.

For the avoidance of doubt: a mobile site, as referred to in this document, is a combination of equipment including cabinets, antennas, and structures, required to facilitate the operation of a mobile phone network.

## The Proposal

![photograph from page 3](https://images.planningportal.im/2024/10/7055347.jpg)

The proposed development will consist of replacing the current 15-meter monopole with a 15-meter slimline lattice tower on the existing Sure mobile site located at Ramsey Boat Yard, Ramsey.

The proposed structure will be 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 1 microwave link, the size/location of the dish 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 current structure is incapable of supporting the next generation of mobile technologies, this is due to the current structure failing the windloading assesment that we have had carried out based on the new equipment specifications, as equipment is getting heavier in some cases and it is also moving to tower mounted kit, rather than being in radio cabinets at the base of the structure.

## The Application Site

The proposed replacement structure will be built on the existing Sure mobile site, in the current position of the monopole.

## Visual Impact

![A photograph of an industrial site featuring a large dark building with a brick extension, a metal fence in the foreground, and a boat hull visible on the right.](https://images.planningportal.im/2024/10/7055351.jpg)

We believe that the visual impact of the proposed replacement structure will be minimal, due to the structure type, having opted for a slimline lattice as the replacement we believe that the structure will be less visually intrusive than the current structure due to the fact that it will no longer be a solid structure, but rather one that you can essentially look through, helping it blend in with the surroundings.

There is also the potential of painting the structure to fit the surroundings if deemed appropriate.

### Current structure

| |
|---|

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

![photograph from page 5](https://images.planningportal.im/2024/10/7055353.png)

![photograph from page 5](https://images.planningportal.im/2024/10/7055354.png)

![photograph from page 5](https://images.planningportal.im/2024/10/7055355.png)

## Equipment Cabinets

The proposed equipment cabinet 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 along with the electricity meter for the site power usage, there will also be a generator input for additional power back up for the site – this cabinet is located within the site compound.

- *The meter cabinet that is located on the current Sure site at Ramsey Boat Yard will not be replaced for the proposed redevelopment* 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 suit the surroundings if required.

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 Sure mobile site at Ramsey Boat Yard is limited on future network enhancements due to the current structure type as the current monopole has failed the windloading assessment based on the new equipment specifications, this means we would be unable to install the new kit at this site, the new proposed structure would be designed to have increased structural strength, enabling it to support next generation equipment along with future network enhancements.

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, surrounding areas 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 mobile site is in the optimal position to provide coverage to the surrounding areas, alternative sites would not provide sufficient benefit to justify its development.

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.

## Historic Planning Applications

• Original planning for Sure mobile site at Ramsey Boat Yard o 06/02061/B - Installation of a 15.3m high monopole mast with associated equipment cabinets

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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/33424-lezayre-sure-mobile-site-replacement/documents/1076851*