Wild Land News no 52, Spring 2001

Planning Controls for Telecoms Masts Article

Alistair Cant examines the Executive's proposals

The Scottish Executive has issued a consultation paper on proposals for many new telecom masts to require full planning permission. At present masts under 15 metres in heights as treated as 'permitted development'. This has led to concerns on three main fronts:

In the countryside masts under 15m can be erected virtually anywhere. There was an outcry and deliberate vandalism when a mast was erected in Carlops, a conservation village.
In towns and cities, people living next to high ground could find a mast erected without warning, causing loss of amenity.
The health worries of the radio waves affected people especially children as some masts have been located on local authority premises e.g. schools, tower blocks, etc.

In England and Wales the law has been changed so that such masts require 'prior approval' of the Planning Authority before development could proceed. This approach is unsatisfactory as the applicant is allowed to proceed automatically with the mast if the planning authority does not determine the application within a specified period (28 or 42 days, depending upon circumstances). This halfway house situation was not wanted in Scotland.

The Transport and Environment Committee of the Scottish Executive looked at the issue and make recommendations, most of which have been taken up by the Scottish Executive in its consultation over the proposed Scottish Statutory Instrument.

The proposals include the requirement for all masts (more than 3m high) to need full planning permission if they are:

New masts on the ground.
Certain new installations of telecommunications apparatus on buildings.
All new installations on the ground or buildings in National Parks, National Scenic Areas, SSSIs, European sites and other conservation areas, historic gardens or designated landscapes.
Radio equipment housing on the ground if it exceeds 3m in height or 90m³ in volume.
Radio equipment housing on a building if it exceeds 3m in height or 30m³ in volume.

The Scottish Executive's intention is that most masts will need permission, and the public will be involved through the neighbour notification system. It is hoped that there will be improved siting and design of masts as a consequence. A draft National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) has been written to encourage better design, siting and other issues.

The Wild Land Group has a few concerns although we wholeheartedly welcome these proposals. There has been some outcry in the papers that there are currently many masts being erected to beat the new regulations. This is unfortunate but is a by-product of our democratic system and we say better late than never.

The current planning system only allows one to comment on specific proposals from a developer. It does not allow a system where operators are forced to share masts, and certain locations are banned from having masts. The NPPG does have some good points about sensitive siting in wild land, but how careful will the Planners and Planning Committees be when there is a lot of pressure e.g. to 'modernise' the Highlands & Islands and provide full mobile phone coverage in every glen?

We have concerns over the ancillary buildings and access tracks for masts. These can be much uglier and more intrusive than the mast sometimes.

Some of the proposals relating to masts on buildings are quite detailed, and I have not addressed the health issues relating to masts and radio waves, as they are not the concern of the Group.

Overall a good proposal with some weaknesses but a definite improvement for wild land.