**Document:** Officer Planning Report **Application:** 06/02123/B — Installation of a 10.365m high pole with shrouded antennas and an equipment cabinet **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2007-02-26 **Parish:** Rushen **Document Type:** report / officer_report **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/82143-rushen-area-public-conveniences-telecoms-mast/documents/1486374 --- # Officer Planning Report **Application No.:** 06/02123/B **Applicant:** Cable & Wireless Isle Of Man Limited **Proposal:** Installation of a 10.365m high pole with shrouded antennas and an equipment cabinet **Site Address:** Area Adjacent To Public Conveniences Breakwater Road Port Erin 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: Port Erin Commissioners Notes: Approve ### Officer's Report #### Site - The application site is located adjacent to and within an existing toilet block next to the harbour offices on Breakwater Road in Port Erin. - To the north of the application site is the public highway of Breakwater Road. On the opposite side of the road is The Raglan Pier. - The Harbour Office is located to the west of the application site. - The area is zoned as a harbour in the Port Erin Local Plan. #### Proposed Development - The application is proposing to install a 10.365m high steel pole with shrouded antennas with associated cabinets. - The mast and the shroud will be colour coated white. - The proposed cabinets will be installed in a redundant toilet block. ### Planning Status And Relevant Policies - Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Port Erin Local Plan) 1990 - Isle of Man Strategic Plan (Modified Draft) (November 2004) ### Planning History - None ### Representations - Highways Division of the DoT do not oppose the application. - Port Erin Commissioners have approved the application. - 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 provide coverage to central Port Erin. It has been stated there are no existing telecoms structures and no available rooftops to provide the height required to cover the area. - Other sites have been considered around Port Erin. The Fire Tower on Droghadfayle Road but the Chief Fire Officer would not allow Cable and Wireless to use the site. - The applicant has considered locating on tall hotel structures. However due to the topography of the town and the limited number of suitable structure only 2 hotels was considered acceptable technically to provide coverage. The Ocean Castle Hotel, which would not allow the applicant to use their building and the adjacent vacant building, which is to be demolished. - The Golf Course was also considered but in order to proved suitable coverage a new structure of over 20m would be required and therefore the applicant consider this was not visually acceptable close to residential properties in and around Ronway Drive. - The applicant has also considered has also considered locating on the RNLI building at the end of Breakwater Road. Whilst Manx Telecom are already in situ, the RNLI would not allow the applicant to use the structure. Whilst - This location enables coverage into the main commercial area through the coverage is compromised due to the relatively low height but the area is considered to offer a suitable compromise between technical efficiency and impact on visual amenity. - In respect of the impact of the visual amenities of the locality, the area is zoned as a harbour. The proposed mast and shroud will be painted to replicate the existing flagpole design on the opposite side of the road. There are other vertical structures in the area such as lamp posts and flag poles in the locality. The proposed structure would not appear out of place due to the existence of street lighting columns and a flagpole within the locality. Furthermore I do not consider that the introduction of an additional vertical element on the building will appear incongruous by reason of is height and visual appearance within the locality. - The proposed equipment cabinets are to be installed internally within the existing service room and will not adversely affect the visual amenities of the locality. - 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 practically 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 adjacent to building on a quayside and not within a countryside location 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 masts. Since the site is located adjacent to building on a quayside and not within a countryside location 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 a 10.365m pole with shrouded antennas with associated equipment cabinets as shown in drawing numbers 02123/1, 105/010 Issue A, 105/012 Issue A, 105/013 Issue A, 105/014 Issue A, 105/017 Issue A dated stamped 8th December 2006, Supporting statement prepared by CH2M Hill dated 5th December 2006, Declaration of Conformity with ICNIRP Public Exposure Guidelines dated 08/12/06. C 3. In the event of the mast 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. C 4. Within one month of the installation of the mast with shrouded antennas 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. The works 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: [Handwritten signature] M. I. McCauley Director of Planning and Building Control --- *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/82143-rushen-area-public-conveniences-telecoms-mast/documents/1486374*