Appeal dismissed over ‘overwhelmingly dominant’ 5G mast at holiday park

An appeal against a refusal of plans to site a 5G phone mast on one of the largest holiday camps in west Wales has been dismissed.

Following a previous withdrawn application, last year Freshwave Facilities Limited submitted new plans to erect a mast and ancillary antennae reaching a maximum height of 23.14 metres, to boost the Vodafone signal, at Quay West Holiday Park, New Quay, some 150 metres from the previous proposal.

The previous plans drew many local objections, with one describing it as a “gargantuan eyesore” that would impact on a cherished nearby family home.

After that application on the edge of the caravan park was withdrawn, following a recommendation for refusal, a new application saw the proposed mast sited closer to the main part of the town, adjacent to the main B4342 road, again on the holiday park grounds.

More than 40 local objections were received by Ceredigion planners, with the town council also strongly objecting, and two petitions, an online one with 160 responses, and a 380-strong paper petition also objecting.

Agent Rapleys, in a supporting statement submitted to Ceredigion planners, had said the mast would both boost the signal in the caravan park and allow the continued provision of 4G mobile connections to the surrounding area, and also provide improved 5G services for Vodafone, introducing ultra-fast mobile connectivity.

Residents’ objections raised a long list of concerns, including a detrimental impact on landscape and amenity of occupiers, in terms of visual impact, overbearing, overshadowing, and noise, being  inappropriate within a residential area and insensitively sited, out of keeping with the locality, an eyesore to look at, no formal consultation undertaken by the developers, a potential detrimental effect on human health, and an impact on tourism.

Objections were also raised in relation to property prices, impact/loss of view, and financial benefits to the landowner.

Ceredigion planners refused the scheme, reasons including “a significant visual intrusion, to the detriment of the character and appearance of the landscape, the special qualities of the Cardigan Bay Special Landscape Area and the amenity of nearby occupiers”.

An appeal against refusal was lodged with the Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) earlier this year, which has now been dismissed.

The inspector’s report said the “stark utilitarian appearance of the monopole would be alien to its surroundings,” and “the localised impact of the development would be overwhelmingly dominant”.

On the need for a mast at this location, the inspector’s report said that, while the mast siting was discussed and other potential locations discounted there “is no detail of the discussion that took place, or which sites were discussed and the reasons for discounting them”.

“Given the limited detail available to me, I am unable to properly assess the likelihood of a suitable alternative being available. I am not therefore persuaded that the availability of more suitable sites has been satisfactorily considered.  This weighs significantly against the appeal.”

The inspector concluded: “I have found significant harm in relation to the issues of character and appearance and living conditions and it has not been demonstrated that there would be no significant effects on protected species.

“Given that the absence of an alternative has not been properly established, this harm would not be justified by other material considerations in favour of the development.”