5G mast plan outside Koh Thai restaurant in Poole refused

Three UK and EE have seen their plans to erect a 20 metre (65 foot) 5G mast on the pavement directly outside Koh Thai Tapas restaurant in Sandbanks Road, Lilliput, refused.

If approved, it would have replaced an existing 12 metre 3G mast situated at the junction of Sandbanks Road and Dorset Lake Avenue.

The plans were objected to by each of the three main businesses situated closest to the proposed site – Jane Naden Hair Stylists, Koh Thai and Mays Estate Agents – as well as several residents.

Proposed 5G mast upgrade to Sandbanks Road, Poole. Picture: Three UK/EE Ltd

Objections focused on the size of the mast and its associated cabinets becoming intrusive to the public footpath. Jane Naden, who owns the hair salon, said: “The area that will be left to safely walk if the mast is erected is not quite the 1.2 metres required, due to the Koh Thai street dining area on the pavement.

“Mothers and babies will have to scrape by the huge mast to walk up and down Sandbanks Road.”

• Read more: Plan for 5G mast in front of restaurant's street seating area
• Read more: 5G mast approval in BCP three times below average

​​The BCP Council Highway Authority agreed and stated that the proposal “would narrow the footway width and would restrict pedestrian movements across the front of the proposed development and would create conflict, increasing pedestrian safety risks”.

According to Three UK and EE’s application the location had been “identified as being necessary for EE Ltd business development and meets its specific technical and operational requirements”.

Current 3G and street light mast in Sandbanks Road. Picture: Three UK/EE (Image: Three UK/EE)

However, BCP Council’s planning officer found the pros of the scheme were outweighed by the cons.

In their recommendation for the authority to refuse the proposal, the planning officer said: “The existing mast is discreet and largely indistinguishable from surrounding lampposts. The proposed mast would stand in stark contrast to the existing mast due to its increased height in relation to nearby buildings and the bulk of the antennae at the top of the mast.

“Its siting on the footpath at a busy and prominent junction of a number of roads would form a highly incongruous feature in this location with significant public activity using the adjacent businesses and on route to a nearby first school.”

BCP Council officially refused the application on Monday, September 12.