Two new 5G phone masts across south of city to go up
Two new 5G telecommunication masts have been approved by Gloucester City Council[1] in the south of the city, potentially boosting mobile data speeds for people. Both Barton Street and Bristol Road have had large masts approved, with one reaching 20 metres over ground level.
Bristol Road, near its junction with Clegram Road in Gloucester,[2] will see a 20-metre telecoms mast erected via crane just outside the Marshall Hyundai dealership on the road. Meanwhile, the second mast on Barton Street[3] will be replacing old communications infrastructure on the roof of a Polish food store with new 5G equipment.
The masts were considered to be both far enough away from residential properties and not break up any significant sightlines in the city and so were granted approval by city planners. The rollout of 5G will see ever-more telecomms masts like this going up all over the country, as mobile network companies aim to see the next generation of high-speed data cover the whole of the UK by the end of this decade.
The 20-metre 5G mast on the pavement on Bristol Road will tower more than eight metres over the nearest building or streetlamp and support six antennas as well as a GPS unit. There will also be two associated one-metre high equipment cabinets.
The new mast on Bristol Road will be erected by a crane
The planning officer's report reads: "The proposed design of the mast and associated cabinets would be of a slim mono-pole design which is considered a standard, up-to-date design. As previously stated, this is considered to be suitable in the backdrop of a commercial unit.
"So, although it is proposed to be higher than existing trees or street infrastructure with the proposed design, and presence among other commercial units and signage it is deemed to not result in detrimental harm to the existing appearance of the area."
The new masts on 236-240 Barton Street, above Biedronki Polish supermarket and an MOT test centre, will see the current three-metre telecomms masts replaced with two six-metre 5G masts, three metres taller than the equipment they are replacing. The planning officer's appraisal of the site states that their placement will hide the masts from street view and would not be a "dominant aspect" of the skyline.
References
- ^ Gloucester City Council (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
- ^ Gloucester, (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
- ^ Barton Street (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
- ^ New 15-metre 5G mast on Tredworth estate thrown out (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)