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Planning Statement Proposed Telecommunications Site RG10-01

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Planning Statement Proposed Telecommunications Site RG10-01 Planning Statement Proposed Telecommunications Site RG10-01 - Hurst Hurst Reading Berkshire RG10 0TG Prepared by On behalf of Contents 1.0 Introduction 2.0 The applicant – Atlas Tower Group – a Wireless Infrastructure Provider (WIP) 3.0 The benefits and growth of mobile communications 4.0 The site and surroundings 5.0 The prior approval application 6.0 Planning Policy • Local Plan o Core Strategy 2010 o Managing Development Delivery (MDD) Local Plan 2014 • NPPF • Siting and appearance 7.0 Material considerations • Heritage impacts • Environmental impacts • Landscape/Townscape impacts • Alternative options • Public benefit (inc. any local digital strategy) 8.0 Access 9.0 Health and safety 10.0 Conclusions 1 1.0 Introduction 1.1 This Planning Statement is prepared on behalf of the Atlas Tower Group (‘the Applicant’) in support of an application, submitted to Wokingham Borough Council, for a 25m lattice telecommunications mast, 6 antenna, 2 transmission dishes and 8 equipment cabinets at Hurst, Reading, Berkshire, RG10 0TG. The role of the Atlas Tower Group in the UK’s national communications network is explained in Section 2 below. In this instance the proposed infrastructure will accommodate the radio coverage requirements of MBNL. 1.2 This application has been brought forward as part of the MBNL’s program for the maintenance of its overall UK network. MBNL look after all the shared aspects of the infrastructure portfolios of EE LTD and H3G (UK) LTD. This includes new roll-out, increased capacity, replacement of existing sites and upgrading of existing sites so that EE’s and Three’s customers enjoy the high quality communications network envisaged by Government and which is a growing customer-led requirement borne out by the ever increasing amounts of data travelling across this critical national infrastructure. 1.3 Finding a suitable radio site is a complicated matter. Firstly, a target search area is identified based on the radio coverage shortfall1, then surveyors (after a desk-based survey) physically search this area looking for potentially suitable sites. The main considerations, in no particular order of importance are a willing landowner, topography, availability of power and access, availability of backhaul2,any ecological considerations, heritage impacts, and planning designations. In this case, the proposal new mast will host replacement apparatus from the existing MBNL base station where the proposed upgrade of apparatus cannot be accommodated. Only after all of these matters have been assessed as satisfactory can a site be progressed to a planning application. 1.4 In this instance, the proposed communications mast is seeking to provide replacement 2G, 3G and 4G coverage and introduce 5G coverage across the area – as identified in the coverage maps which accompany the application. 1.5 This application has been taken forward in the line with the industry Code of Best Practice on Mobile Network Deployment in England3. Pre-application consultation was undertaken with Wokingham Borough Council, Hurst Ward Councillor and Hurst Community Councillor on 20/07/2020. 1.6 Access to high quality communications is an essential part of everyday social and economic life and the infrastructure to support it needs to be located where it is used. Whilst small in scale, this proposed development forms part of a larger nationwide network which delivers significant public benefit across the UK. 1 The primary consideration as this is the function of the proposed development 2 The ability to get the radio signal from an individual ‘cell’ (the mast/antennas) back into the network, by fibre as first choice, then transmission link (line of sight) 3 https://www.mobileuk.org/codes-of-practice 2 2.0 The Applicant 2.1 The Atlas Tower Group are a Wireless Infrastructure Provider (WIP) or ‘neutral host’. This means they build neutral infrastructure for use by those seeking to provide radio coverage, predominantly the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs). WIPs are an important and integral part of the UKs communications infrastructure network as they both bring new investment into the sector and help enable mast and site sharing. This is the main mechanism to reduce the proliferation of new individual base stations and is a central plank of national planning policy (discussed in more detail below). OFCOMs review of the market states the following; 201. The UK mobile sector has a range of different infrastructure models. The MNOs are vertically integrated, enabling downstream benefits generated by new investment (e.g. from retail customers or MVNOs) to be captured. ‘Neutral host’ or wholesale- only models could unlock new investment, address some of the 5G deployment challenges and reduce barriers to entry for service providers. 202. Sharing of sites and network infrastructure, such as masts and antennas, could make the deployment of 5G more cost effective. The Government will support industry initiatives to build on current MNO commercial agreements to share infrastructure, provided this does not restrict competition in the market. 203. We also anticipate that different infrastructure models may be needed in different areas and as demand evolves. There are many potential forms of ‘neutral host’ infrastructure. At one extreme, a wireless infrastructure provider might supply passive mast and tower infrastructure only. At the other extreme, a neutral host provider could deploy their own active equipment, transmitting on behalf of MNOs and MVNOs either in their own spectrum or the MNOs’ spectrum and delivering a data stream back to the MNO or MVNO. 204. Neutral host providers could help boost network coverage in the following areas: • In remote rural areas, where there could be insufficient demand to justify multiple networks; • In dense urban areas, where shared networks could be desirable in order to reduce deployment costs and minimise street clutter; and • In offices and factories, where landlords may wish to self-deploy a single network (possibly through a third party service provider) to provide coverage and capacity within the building 2.2 Atlas are in the process of investing in and building new infrastructure to help ensure that the UK has a world class mobile communications network. 3 2.3 Atlas also has powers under the Electronic Communications Code4. This brings with it a number of rights including, for example, permitted development rights under Part 16 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 20155. This application in front of the local planning authority (LPA) uses these permitted development rights. 4 https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/information-for-industry/policy/electronic-comm-code/register-of-persons-with- powers-under-the-electronic-communications-code 5 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/1040/pdfs/uksi_20161040_en.pdf 4 3.0 The benefits and growth of mobile connectivity 3.1 This infrastructure which this application seeks to establish will improve the mobile connectivity in this area. 3.2 Mobile communications now form an integral part of everyday life and connectivity provides both social and economic benefits. People’s devices provide far more than just voice services. Demand for data, through not just smartphones but other connected mobile electronic devices, is now as important as any voice function. Demand for new services and data is growing inexorably. The following graph6 shows data demand from mobile networks over just the last three years. This increasing demand has resultant consequential demand for both additional and upgraded infrastructure such as that being proposed in this application. 3.3 The Government both needs and wants to meet this demand. Their ambitions are set out in the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review 20187 which states (our emphasis): The UK has good digital connectivity to meet the needs of today’s consumers. We compare well internationally for superfast broadband availability. Mobile coverage is also improving, 87% of UK landmass has a 4G signal from at least one operator (compared to 78% in 2017). However, the UK must prepare for the future. Demand for high capacity, reliable broadband will increase – particularly as homes, businesses and infrastructure become smarter. The UK has only 4% full fibre connections and lags behind many of our key competitors. For the UK to be the best place to start and grow digital businesses, we will need much greater investment to build fixed and wireless networks that are fit for the future, and take advantage of the benefits of fixed and mobile convergence. 3.4 The realisation of this ambition will require work across all levels of government. Letters were sent to the Chief Executives of all local authorities from the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) in Spring 2019 seeking this cooperation. It states: 6 https://www.ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/multi-sector-research/infrastructure-research/connected-nations-2019 7 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/future-telecoms-infrastructure-review 5 Local authorities have an essential role to play as site providers. As Chief Executives, you can support investment in digital communications infrastructure by ensuring your organisations have policies and procedures in place that promote effective engagement with the digital communications industry and minimise barriers to deployment. 3.5 The main planks of Government support for new telecommunications infrastructure given through the planning system is by both legislation and policy.
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