Policy information sourced from the Maidstone Borough Council Local Plan 2021-2038
LPRIN4: Digital Communications and Connectivity.
The council wishes to enhance digital communications and connectivity and as such it will support proposals to improve the digital communications network in Maidstone borough allowing greater mobile connectivity and connectivity to properties and businesses.
Digital Connectivity
1. To support the best digital connectivity and improve access to superfast broadband all residential and employment developments within Maidstone Urban Area, Rural Service Centres, Larger Villages and Garden Settlements, including site allocations promoted in this plan, will enable FTTP. In other areas, all residential developments over five dwellings and employment proposals of 500sqm or more (including through conversion) will enable FTTP.
2. For schemes under these thresholds, the council’s expectation is that provision for FTTP will be achieved, where practical. Where it can be demonstrated that FTTP is not practical due to special circumstances, (such as issues of viability, the inability to provide the appropriate physical trench, and proximity to the nearest breakout point on the fibre network), then other non-Next Generation Access technologies, including wired and wireless infrastructure, providing all-inclusive internet access speeds in excess of 30Mbps, should be delivered wherever practical.
Mobile Connectivity
3. Proposals for the enhancement of mobile connectivity including through the provision of mobile data networks (such as 5G mobile data), will be supported, subject to compliance with relevant policies in this plan, and with national policy.
4. Where permission is required, proposals for new masts and antennae by telecommunications and code systems operators will be supported provided:
- a. It has been demonstrated that mast or site sharing is not feasible and that the apparatus cannot be sited on an existing building or other appropriate structure that would provide a preferable environmental solution;
- b. It has been demonstrated that an alternative, less environmentally harmful means of providing the same service is not feasible;
- c. Every effort has been made to minimise the visual impact of the proposal;
- d. Proposals adhere to current Government advice on the health effects of exposure to radio waves; and
- e. Consideration has been given to the future demands of network development, including that of other operators.
For more information, please visit Maidstone’s Local Plan Maidstone Borough Council Local Plan 2021-2038