A plan to build a 5G mast directly in front of playing fields in Emmer Green has been rejected for a second time.
CK Hutchison, the company that owns the Three mobile network, was hoping to install the 15-metre construction in front of the Emmer Green playing fields, at the junction of Grove Road and Kidmore End Road.
Reading Borough Council rejected it, and an appeal has been dismissed.
The mast would have been located opposite the Black Horse pub, where a group of neighbours who objected to the mast held a meeting to organise their opposition. As part of their protest, they planted wildflowers on the site.
When the scheme was rejected by the council in July, planning officers argued it would detract from the visual amenity and appearance of the surrounding area, and that Hutchison failed to provide evidence of whether the mast could be placed anywhere else.
These arguments were accepted in the appeal.
The appeal was lodged last September, but it was dismissed by government planning inspectors on Friday, December 23.
The inspector wrote: “The proposed development would appear incongruous within the open street scene, impacting upon the character and appearance of the area. A condition to finish the proposed development in grey would not sufficiently ameliorate the impact.”
They felt the colouring would fail to soften the visual impact of the mast, particularly as trees at Emmer Green playing fields shed their leaves.
And the argument that not enough investigation into alternative sites had taken place was upheld, as only four sites had explored.
As 5G masts are considered permitted development according to national planning law, there are only a few ways for such plans to be refused.
These are the siting, appearance and availability of alternative locations for a proposed mast – all mentioned in the appeal dismissal.
The inspector said while the benefits that 5G technology provides are ‘essential’, these would not outweigh the ‘substantial harm’ to the character and appearance of the area if the mast were to be installed.
A spokesperson for Three mobile said: “We accept the Inspector’s decision. We will look at the area again and work with the Planning Authority to try and find a site so we can roll out the UK’s fastest 5G network to the local community.”
The refused application can be found by typing reference 220638 into the council’s planning portal.
