Stroud District Council has approved plans to replace the existing telephone mast at Painswick Golf Club with a taller and wider structure, despite receiving 59 objections from local residents.
Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Ltd will remove the current 49-foot monopole, which supports two antennas, and install a new 79-foot lattice tower. This upgraded structure will feature two antennas, two dishes, and six emergency response service systems, enhancing digital communication capabilities in the area.
The new mast will be located within the golf club’s car park, inside the Cotswold National Landscape. While Painswick Parish Council supports the proposal, it has requested that the mast be designed to blend in as unobtrusively as possible with the surroundings.
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Objections from residents primarily centered on concerns that the taller mast would be visually intrusive and negatively impact the cherished Cotswolds landscape. Some also raised issues about the adequacy of public consultation, questioned the necessity of the upgrade, expressed health worries, and feared it might reduce nearby property values.
Conversely, two supporters emphasized that the enhanced mast would provide reliable, efficient digital communication essential for daily life. Another supporter noted that the increase in size is reasonable and the mast would only be noticeable to those specifically looking for it.
Planning officers determined that the new lattice tower aligns with existing infrastructure and would not detract from the character or views of the Cotswold National Landscape. They also highlighted the social and economic benefits of improved communication services and confirmed the mast complies fully with safety standards set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection.
Based on these assessments, the council concluded that the proposal is consistent with planning policies and recommended granting permission for the project.