Number of 5G mast bids lodged for locations across Spen Valley

Telecoms infrastructure firm CK Hutchinson Networks is behind a total of five recent bids, covering Birstall, Birkenshaw, Liversedge and Heckmondwike in an effort to plug gaps in its mobile coverage.

Two of the applications – both in Birstall for poles up to 18m in height – have already been knocked back by Kirklees Council planners over the harm the mast and cabinet would have on the “built environment”.

Three more recent applications are still in the process of being decided – these are located at Whitehall Road East in Birkenshaw, Liversedge Hall Lane in Liversedge and Greenfields in Heckmondwike, and are 15m to 17m in height.

In the Birstall applications, planners state that one of the locations on a grass verge at Upper Batley Low Lane would also harm the “residential amenity” of those living nearby.

The sites at Low Lane and Bradford Road in Birstall (Image: Google Street View)

Another site at Bradford Road in Birstall, would harm the Birstall Conservation Area, they said.

According to the documents provided by CK Hutchinson, more commonly known as Three, “there is a specific requirement for an installation at the grass verge of Upper Batley Low Lane to ensure that the latest high quality 3G and 4G service provision is provided in this area of the town. The proposed column will also ensure that new 5G coverage can be provided at this location. This ensures that coverage and capacity requirements are maintained and enhanced.”

“The proposed new mast has been sited and designed in order to provide 5G coverage and to fill the hole in coverage for this mobile network.”

But Council planners have said it “would introduce a visually intrusive and incongruous feature within the street scene, appearing out of scale with the surrounding residential properties and failing to respect the open character of the streetscape and wider area.”

The 5G sites at Whitehall Road East in Birkenshaw, Liversedge Hall Lane in Liversedge and Greenfields in Heckmondwike (Image: Google Street View)

At the Birkenshaw, Liversedge and Heckmondwike sites, CK Hutchinson says there is “an acute need for a new base station to provide effective service coverage” for 5G.

In reports to the Council planners, it adds: “The very nature of installing new 5G mast infrastructure within such an urban setting requires a highly considered balance between the need to extend practical coverage reach with that of increasing risk of visual amenity intrusion.”

It also goes on to say that the mast at each proposed location “will assimilate well into the immediate street scene and not be detrimental”.

A decision on the remaining three applications is expected by the beginning of March.

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