Council Says No to 5G Monopole in Australia Road


Second application this year in W12 is comprehensively refused

Australia Road
Australia Road

April 24, 2023

H&F Council planners have refused an application to install a 15-metre high 5G telecoms monopole on White City’s Australia Road.

This is the latest in a spate of applications to install 5G masts at locations across the borough, and the second this year in Shepherd's Bush to be given the thumbs down. In January, the council refused an application for a 20-metre-high mast in Charecroft Way, behind the W12 shopping centre.

The White City application, which was registered in January, was for the:

Installation of a 15m high Phase 8 Monopole, 3no equipment cabinets and associated ancillary works. Outside Ellenborough House Australia Road White City Estate London W12.

Full details can be seen on the council’s website using the reference 2023/00169/TEL56.

These applications require the council’s prior approval and this time round, the council’s decision, signed by Joanne Woodward, Chief Planning Officer of The Economy Department not only refuses this approval but strongly criticises the applicants

The decision says: “ The proposed development is considered unacceptable on visual amenity grounds and its impact on the wider locality. More particularly the development, by virtue of its prominent location, excessive height, and increase in street clutter, would result in a dominant and visually intrusive structure that would be detrimental to the character and appearance of the wider locality.

“ Furthermore, the applicant has not submitted satisfactory information to demonstrate that no other alternative, preferable sites are available.

“ The proposed development is considered to be unacceptable in terms of its highways impact. More particularly, the proposed development would increase street clutter, narrowing the footway, and impacting on the pedestrian environment and the newly installed cycleway on the Westbound footway of the Westway.

“ The proposal would narrow the footway, resulting in a negative impact on pedestrian safety and comfort. In addition, the height and scale of the proposed monopole would form an incongruous feature along Westway and would potentially distract drivers using this very busy highway.

“ The submission also fails to provide any construction and maintenance information to demonstrate what impacts this would have. In the absence of this information, it is considered that it is not possible to assess whether or not the proposed installation and any subsequent maintenance would have an adverse impact on the safety of Transport for London Road Network.

“ The proposed installation, due to its proximity to adjacent trees raises concerns over potential harm and impacts to the existing trees that provides significant amenity benefits to the area in general and to the existing residential occupiers.

“ The submission fails to submit satisfactory information as to whether the development requires routine pruning of the trees to ensure no obstruction of signals and in the absence of any Arboricultural Implications Assessment, the proposed development could cause damage and harm to these trees, loss of biodiversity and the visual amenity of the surrounding area, and the quality of the public realm.”

These applications - ten across the borough over the last two years - are generally made on behalf of the CK Hutchison Group which operates the Three network.

A letter accompanying the applications from Matt Warman MP from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport emphasises the importance of these mobile base stations in extending 5G coverage, but all have been refused by the council over issues ranging rom their dominance over the surroundings to public safety.

However, consistent refusals by the council are not always the end of the story, as CK Hutchison has launched a number of appeals to The Planning Inspectorate.

While most have been unsuccessful, The Planning Inspectorate did overrule the council and grant consent to a 15-metre-high monopole in Fulham’s Farm Lane, saying that its visual harm was outweighed by the mast’s substantial public benefits.

15 metre high monopole on Farm Lane in Fulham
15 metre high monopole on Farm Lane in Fulham

Appeals have not yet been launched over the latest two applications in Charecroft Way and Australia Road.

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