Plans to build 56ft telecoms mast beside public art in Uphall stalled by councillors

Plans to build a 56ft telecoms mast next to a piece of public art in Uphall have been stalled by councillors.

There was cross-party doubt at proposals that the pole – the height of a five-storey building – which is to replace an existing one nearby, could not be built on the same spot.

Councillor Willie Boyle said the plan was more about saving money and added “no quarter” had been given to the amenity of the site.

The community council said the mast would tower over existing trees, be too close to the artwork, and could affect local residents.

Wendy McCorriston, head of development management, told the committee that the proposed 17m telecoms mast was earmarked to be built 27ft away from the 15m high mast it is set to replace.

The applicant was asked by planning officers whether the siting of the new mast could be on the precise footprint of the existing one but they were told this was not technically feasible because of the location of existing cabinets, HSE requirements and continuation of mobile phone service provision during construction works.

It was necessary to maintain emergency signals while the work was being carried out, she added.

The site in East Main Street, Uphall, is on the north side of the street, alongside the cemetery.

Utility company Dalcour Maclaren’s plan would see the new mast built closer to Above and Below, an artwork which celebrates Uphall’s transition from an agricultural village to become the heart of the shale mining industry.

Local councillor, Labour’s Tony Boyle, cast doubts on assertions that one mast would need to stay operational while another was built. There is another mast already on the site unaffected by the proposals.

He said: “I hear what they said, but there are two masts there. Surely, the other mast could serve the emergency services. I find that difficult to believe.”

Mrs McCorriston replied: “We have asked the operator. It’s probably possible that there’s a technical way around that. It is obviously for members to determine if they feel they haven’t got enough information or if the visual impact outweighs service provision.”

The SNP’s councillor Willie Boyle told the meeting the existing cabins at the foot of the telecoms masts were an eyesore.

He added: “I have an issue with this. I hear what Tony Boyle is saying, and the Community Council.

“What concerns me is when you look at the detail this isn’t just another mast there’s new cabins going in here. I’m minded to move refusal because of the state of the street with what’s existing. These cabins are an eyesore. There’s graffiti on them. The companies don’t maintain the cabins; they are just a convenient box to house equipment.

“There’s no quarter given here to the local amenity or the community. I’m with Tony in as much as I don’t believe that either. What we are looking at is cost here. Everything can be done. It’s about cost, it’s about quick and convenient, about what they get away with elsewhere.

“Rather than go to refusal, maybe we should go to a continuation and have them here to justify this. That would be another option.”

Mrs McCorriston said: “Refusal might be more appropriate; it still allows right of appeal.”

Conservative group leader Damian Doran-Timson supported Councillor Boyle’s call adding: “I’d be more minded to do a continuation so we could ask the applicant to be here. ”

Chairing the DMC, councillor Harry Cartmill said: “I think there could be a compromise to take it away from the sculpture. It seems a pity that it would be overshadowed by this mast.”

He added that a continuation would “ give the applicants a chance to listen to our concerns and give us a chance to listen to them.”

In his objection, Jonathon Moore of Uphall Community Council said: “The 17 metre high monopole will be significantly higher than the trees at that location. The new monopole is very close to the ‘Above and Below’ public art, which symbolises the heritage of the shale oil industry in the area.

He added: “Should the transmitter and associated equipment be of much higher power and operate at higher frequencies, its proximity to residential properties would give us significant cause for concern – particularly around possible health issues resulting from higher output 5G masts.”