Proposed revisions to planning guidance on mobile phone base stations could hamper the development of new networks, experts have warned.
Just as the winners of the third-generation mobile auction start looking for sites, the government, in draft revisions to PPG8, has proposed the introduction of a requirement for full planning permission for all new masts. Previously operators had permitted development status under the General Development Order.
Some estimates suggest that up to 100,000 new sites could be needed, although only around 10% of these would involve full-scale masts.
Richard Porter of Walker Packman warned that applications will be looked at by committee members rather than planning officers and could be thrown out in seconds. He criticised the government for taking the money from the auction of licences and then making it more difficult to implement them.
Leo Hickish, telecoms specialist at Strutt & Parker, said the problem wouldn’t be too severe for third-generation networks because base stations will be much smaller. The main problem would involve plugging gaps in second-generation networks, he said. He added that Tetra, a communication system for emergency services, would also be harder to implement because it requires large masts as well.
Strutt & Parker research estimates that the average annual rent for mobile phone masts is £3,857. The figure suggests that site owners receive over £150m in income from the estimated 40,000 existing masts.
EGi News 02/08/00
