Mast approved after site switch campaign
Planners agree to new A84 location
Permission has been granted for a smart meter mast in Strathyre after villagers successfully campaigned for its site to be shifted.
Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park planning and access committee agreed a planning application by Arqiva in November last year for a 44-feet smart meter mast to be sited in the Main Street, angering villagers.
The mast was to be erected close to residential property and on a pathway shared by the Sustrans Cycle Network and the Award Winning BLiSStrail.
A 114-signature petition was lodged and there were numerous objections to the proposal, including one from the village’s community council, which resulted in Arqiva agreeing to erect the mast at an alternative location originally suggested by villagers.
The campaigners were backed by Stirling councillors Evelyn Tweed and Martin Earl, Stirling MSP Bruce Crawford, who raised the matter in the Scottish Parliament, and Stephen Kerr while acting as Stirling MP.
Now the new location - on a roadside verge north of Creagan Cottages on the A84 - has been approved by National Park planners.
In their decision the planners said: “There is an established need for the mast to provide service for smart meters in the area.
“Although there is an existing approval in place for a smart meter mast within the village boundary the applicant has undertaken only to construct one mast. The current proposed location is acceptable and it is not considered to have a significant adverse impact on visual amenity or on road traffic safety.
“Further details will be secured by condition for the colour of the mast, antennae and equipment cabinets proposed and the permitted development right to increase the height of the mast will be removed in order to safeguard the amenity of the area.”
The mast is part of a UK Government roll out of smart meters. While most properties are served by a primary network, a secondary network is often required for smaller settlements in remote areas.
“The previous application was subject to significant community objection,” added the planners, “and subsequently the applicant has proposed an alternative location through this current application. As a mast has already been approved the applicant agreed and submitted a legal undertaking not to construct the previously approved mast should this current application be approved, therefore the approval of this application will not result in additional unnecessary infrastructure.
“The applicant submitted an assessment of all technically suitable sites locations. The majority of these alternative locations were accepted as unsuitable in the previous application. The current proposed location was discounted as part of that previous application on landscape and visual impact grounds. It was considered that the proposed location outwith the village boundary would have a higher impact than that of a location within the village adjacent to existing street furniture.
“The landscape is relatively open with a line of spaced out trees immediately east of the proposed mast. National Cycle Network Route 7 is located on the opposite side of the road.
“It is considered that the existing approval for a mast within the village boundary would be a better option in terms of landscape and visual amenity as it would be alongside existing street furniture and would appear less incongruous than the current proposal. The current proposal will increase the amount of infrastructure outwith the village and impact on the rural character of the immediate locality.”
Proposed location not considered to have significant adverse impact on visual amenity or road safety