Policy information sourced from Welwyn Hatfield District Plan

R21 Telecommunications Development

Proposals for telecommunications development will be considered against the following criteria:

For mobile phone masts, base stations and transmitters:

  • For new free standing masts, the applicant must be able to demonstrate that there are technical reasons which prevent the installation of the apparatus on existing masts, buildings or other structures;
  • New free standing masts must have sufficient spare capacity to allow mast sharing, subject to any technical or environmental constraints, which will be secured by the use of planning conditions or Section 106 Agreements;
  • All applications and determinations must be accompanied by information on the level of emissions likely to be generated by the installation and the level of emissions must fall within the ICNIRP (International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection) guidelines and the advice contained in PPG8 in relation to emissions near college, school, nursery or pre-school playgroup grounds and buildings;
  • Clear public exclusion zones should be placed around all base station antennae together with appropriate warning signs;
  • All applications and determinations received for mobile phone masts, base stations and transmitters proposed near college, school, nursery or pre-school playgroup locations must include details of consultation in line with PPG8 or its successor.

For all telecommunications development, including mobile phone installations, domestic satellite equipment and radio masts:

  • The development must not harm the appearance of the street scene nor appear visually intrusive;
  • The development must not harm the character of a Conservation Area nor the character and setting of a Listed Building;
  • If erected on a building, it must not be out of keeping with the building, in terms of siting, scale, size, profile and colour, so as to harm the appearance of the building;
  • If proposed in areas designated for their landscape, historic or nature conservation importance, including Conservation Areas and the Green Belt, applicants must be able to demonstrate why sites outside these areas cannot be used.

Where permission is granted for telecommunications development, the Council will impose a condition requiring the installation to be removed as soon as possible once it is no longer required for telecommunications purposes.

For more information please see the Welwyn Hatfield District Plan