Saltaire residents in shock at plans for 5G mast

Bradford Council has received a planning application to upgrade an existing 4G mast on Bingley Road and it is currently being processed.

The upgrade would be undertaken by contractors working on behalf of Mobile Broadband Network Limited (MBNL), a joint network-sharing venture between EE and Three.

The new mast would be five metres taller than the existing one to accommodate the extra modifications and capacity. The legal height limit for masts in England is 25 metres.

The location of the mast is opposite the 'Welcome to Saltaire' sign where Saltaire and Shipley merge. It is within the World Heritage Site buffer zone, meaning the area has extra legal protection against detrimental development.

A statement from the local action group - named Stop the 20m 5G Mast Plan for Saltaire/Shipley - sets out their objections as:-

- The visual impact on the area created by 'an extremely prominent structure that is totally incongruous with local landscape and architecture. It will be visible far above the rooftops and therefore impact visually on the designated views of the World Heritage Site'

- Potential traffic hazard close to a busy junction

- The site chosen is a residential area with a nursery nearby

Bradford Council's Saltaire World Heritage Site conservation officer, Sheena Campbell, also opposes the development and has been consulted by council planners ahead of a decision being made.

In a letter submitted to the council, she calls for the mast to be located further away from Saltaire, claiming that the upgraded infrastructure will be 'taller, wider and more prominent, with more attachments' and that it will add to issues with 'poor quality public realm' around the buffer zone.

She concluded by stating that she believed the development would have a 'negative impact' on the World Heritage Site.

Anyone wishing to object to the planning application has until July 23 to submit comments on Bradford Council's online portal.

The roll-out of 5G has been hit by controversy since it began in 2019. The fifth generation of mobile phone communications technology will provide much faster browsing speeds for customers, and internet service providers are also expected to offer 5G for desktop and laptop connections.

Most existing masts will be upgraded from 4G to 5G in urban areas to reduce the need for new mast sites.

In several areas where 5G masts have been proposed, there has been opposition from local residents centred around visual impact, scale and perceived health risks.

5G masts have to conform to government guidelines on safe levels of radio wave transmission, which the Saltaire application does.

While scientists have dismissed urban myths and conspiracy theories linking 5G to the spread of coronavirus as unfounded. There have been outbreaks of Covid-19 in areas of the world which do not have any 5G coverage at all.