Phone mast replacement plans approved

A decision has been made on plans to replace an existing phone mast with a taller one in Neilston.

Planning permission has been granted subject to conditions to upgrade the existing telecommunications installation on land adjacent to unit 3 at 36 Station Road.

The upgrade involves the removal and replacement of the existing 15-metre monopole with a new 20-metre monopole.

The new mast will have six new antennas, with the existing dish to be located at a height of 16 metres on the new tower.

The plans also involve the removal and replacement of associated cabinets and the installation of a new 1.8 metre-high palisade fence with access gate to close off the site compound from the surrounding commercial area.

The monopole will be galvanised grey steel and the cabinets will be fir green coloured steel.

An existing storage container on the site requires to be relocated outwith the new palisade fencing.

Supporting information submitted with the application states that the proposed height is“essential in order for all the operator’s equipment to reach the target area.”

It added that the current streetworks style column cannot be utilised as it is not able to structurally support the weight and size of two mobile network operators’equipment to enable the operators to share the same structure.

The plans were approved on the condition that the development must be begun no later than three years from the date the permission was granted.

No objections to the plans were received by the planning authority.