A SECOND application to site a 5G phone mast on one of the largest holiday camps in Ceredigion, which local objectors said would be a “24/7 365 days a year horrendous eyesore,” after a previous scheme was withdrawn last year, has now been turned down.
Following last year’s withdrawn application, Freshwave Facilities Limited submitted fresh plans to erect a mast and ancillary antennae reaching a maximum height of 23.14 metres, to boost the Vodafone signal, at Quay West Holiday Park, New Quay, some 150 metres from the previous proposal.
The previous plans drew many local objections, with one describing it as a “gargantuan eyesore” that would impact on a cherished nearby family home.
After that application on the edge of the caravan park was withdrawn, following a recommendation for refusal, the new application saw the proposed mast sited closer to the main part of the town, adjacent to the main B4342 road, again on the holiday park grounds.
More than 40 local objections were received by Ceredigion County Council planners, with the town council also strongly objecting, and two petitions, an online one with 160 responses, and a 380-strong paper petition also objecting to the latest proposal.
The town council objected, reasons including the proposed mast was close to nearby households, in a special landscape area, and had said a public consultation should be held with residents.
It also said the mast would only benefit park users rather than locals.
Agent Rapleys, in a supporting statement submitted to Ceredigion planners, had said the mast would both boost the signal in the caravan park and allow the continued provision of 4G mobile connections to the surrounding area, and also provide improved 5G services for Vodafone, introducing ultra-fast mobile connectivity.
A supporting letter by Haven Quay West General Manager Cherry Barnett said the holiday park was a significant employer, with over 200 team members, welcoming 29,000 guests a year, and supportin local events, including raising £9,000 for the RNLI locally.
It added: “We believe that proposed telecommunications mast will not only benefit our park but also offer substantial advantages to the wider community by improving overall connectivity.
“This infrastructure is essential for ensuring that guests and owners continue to chose New Quay as their preferred destination thereby sustaining and boosting the local economy.
“We are committed to working with the community and planning authorities to ensure that this project proceeds smoothly and benefits all stakeholders.”
Residents’ objections raised a long list of concerns, including a detrimental impact on landscape and amenity of occupiers, in terms of visual impact, overbearing, overshadowing, and noise, being inappropriate within a residential area and insensitively sited, out of keeping with the locality, an eyesore to look at, no formal consultation undertaken by the developers, a potential detrimental effect on human health, and an impact on tourism.
Objections were also raised in relation to property prices, impact/loss of view, and financial benefits to the landowner.
Among those were local residents ‘Glennis and Leech,’ who, when the new application was submitted, said: “Twelve months on and Quay West makes the same application but this time the mast would be at the side of a home again; at what point did Quay West think that local residents would be happy to have such an eyesore in their view 24/7, 365 days a year?”
They warned: “The response from local residents will be if not stronger than last year and that is a ‘no’ to this unacceptable eyesore that Quay West want to impose on us. We don’t know what health implication are associated with these masts; it has been said that Quay West can’t find room for it on the caravan site because it would be in view of the holidaymakers, who come on holiday twice a year maybe a bit longer if they own van, but they go home and leave the horrendous site for residents to see permanently.”
They suggested Quay West had the mast installed in the middle of the park where “the holidaymakers will have a good view of the outrageous obnoxious mast that Quay West want to subject the local residence to permanently not just holiday time”.
Ceredigion planners have said that prior approval is needed for the scheme, and is refused.
“The proposed development is located within a sensitive landscape, being within immediate proximity to residential properties, holiday park and the coast, and within Cardigan Bay Special Landscape Area (SLA).
“The development would be highly visible with limited screening, and would introduce an incongruous feature when taking into account the existing character, appearance and land uses of the landscape.
“As a result, it is considered that the development would fail to contribute positively to the context of its location, and would cause a significant visual intrusion, to the detriment of the character and appearance of the landscape, the special qualities of the SLA and the amenity of nearby occupiers.”