Mast plan ‘would be like something out of War of the Worlds’
A PHONE mast is often an alien invader, and a Caversham resident fears that if one is placed in his neck of the woods, it will be like something from HG Wells’ novel War of the Worlds.
In it, Martians in tall metal tripods invade the country, attacking it with heat rays.
Hutchison, owner of mobile network Three, has applied to build a 5G mast on pavement outside Glendale House in Kidmore Road.
The mast would be 15 metres (49ft) tall and require three equipment cabinets.
The mobile phone firm has submitted multiple applications for 5G masts in Reading to improve connectivity for its users.
But neighbours are geared up to fight the plan and encourage the council to refuse it, with one objector making the Martian comparison.
Paul Wigmore, who’s lived in Kidmore Road for 14 years, said: “There’s no doubt this mast certainly would be massively intrusive and completely out of keeping with the local environment.
“As we’re fighting this, however, there is a real sense that local voices and objections don’t count for much.
“Local residents really don’t have much say if a telecommunications company, that is only thinking about its bottom-line, rampages wherever it wants, installing 5G masts that look like and feel they’re something out of HG Wells’s War of the Worlds.”
Mr Wigmore has made 3D impressions of what the mast might look like once built.
Other neighbours have voiced their displeasure about the mast as well, arguing it is too tall, too close to homes and out of keeping with the leafy and residential character of the area.
Fellow Kidmore Road resident Richard Smith* said: “We’re being faced with an incongruous 50ft mast and alongside it three massive communication boxes that will dominate the street scape creating an eyesore for everyone.
“And in the winter, when the leaves have dropped, there will be no ability to camouflage its ugly and dominating appearance from residents, drivers, or passers-by.”
Another neighbour, Andy Jones*, expressed fears the mast could still be given the go ahead as they are considered permitted development.
Applications that are permitted development are generally approved unless considerable harm to the public can be demonstrated.
He said: “The negative impact of intentionally disturbing the habitats of these protected species, as well as bees and birds, are genuine concerns, but seem to carry little weight when it comes to fighting the planning application.”
The neighbours recently met with Cllr Sue Kitchingham (Labour, Caversham Heights) to voice their concerns.
A Three spokesperson said: “5G rollout is vital for residents and businesses of Caversham.
“We want to offer the community a reliable network experience and this site will be critical to making that happen.
“While we try to keep mast sites as unobtrusive as possible, they need to be situated where people will be using the service and, in many cases, in precise locations to ensure the widest breadth of coverage.
“We carry out extensive searches and surveys to evaluate all the options.”
The application’s reference number is 220915, and can be viewed on the council’s planning website.
*Names have been changed