Chesterfield councillors throw out bid for another 5G phone mast in the town

Chesterfield Borough Council’s planning committee threw out the application for a taller streetpole to replace a 12.5 metre high Vodafone mast that already occupies the site west of the junction of Cromwell Road and Newbold Road, Newbold.

This followed an earlier decision by councillors to refuse a similar application for a 20 metre mast in Spital Lane, Chesterfield, because it would have meant clearing an area of trees.

The authority received five letters of objection to the mast in Newbold, as well as two petitions signed by 34 people in total.

Addressing the planning committee, development management and conservation manager Paul Staniforth said: “The proposal is excessive and at odds with the visual appearance of the area.

“The new mast is 7.5m taller than that it replaces.

“The top is changed from the plain shrowd to one where all the antenna are fixed externally around the head of the mast.

“The width of the proposal is also increased to be a much more chunky mast about half a metre across at the base.”

He added: “All the changes that have been put forward will result in the proposal being much more prominent visually.”

Mr Staniforth commented that all applications for 5G masts had to considered on their individual merits.

Councillor Gordon Simmons said: “All over Chesterfield we’ve got these things blighting the landscape.

“We’ve moved from 4G to 5G and they’ve got taller.

“How long is it before they get to 6G and they are taller still?”