Residents protest 5G mast plan in Bournemouth conservation area

Three UK has submitted a second application to build a 5G tower on a grass verge outside 40 West Cliff Road, more than four months after its initial proposal drew 45 objections before being refused.

The latest mast plan is one metre larger than the previously refused one, proposed to stand at 19m (62 feet), leading one resident to begin rallying support to stop the mast.

Lifelong Bournemouth resident Damian Garcia’s family has owned the flats at 40 West Cliff Road for four decades and he told the Echo his tenants are “dead set against” the proposals.

West Cliff Road in Bournemouth (Image: Newsquest)

“Last year for the first application, we have four flats here and my flat was the only one that received a letter,” he said.

“Straight away they were trying to keep it under the radar.”

The site itself falls within the West Overcliff Drive Conservation Area which was designated by BCP Council as meaning the area’s “particular character is valuable and should be preserved”.

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Mr Garcia added: “Heritage officers told me my building is the gateway to the Conservation Area.

“I find it incredible, you have this property that’s supposed to be the gateway and they want to stick a 62ft high industrial mast with loads of supporting cabinets right in front of it. It’s a pure contradiction in terms.

Impression of what a 5G mast would look like from high rise flats in West Cliff Road, Bournemouth (Image: Damian Garcia)

“What upsets me is that they’re going to keep doing it until people don’t see it and it slips through the net, then one day we’ll wake up and hey presto there’s a flaming 62ft mast outside.”

At the time of writing, 50 fresh objections have been submitted.

Three UK says the slimmer, but taller, monopole will “reduce the visual prominence and street clutter with one less cabinet”.

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It said the mast’s extra metre would allow the 5G signal to better reach the coverage area.

While the Echo was visiting the site, two separate individuals approached to say they were also objecting to the mast. “We don’t want it here, it’s not appropriate,” said one woman.

Woman reading application notice for 5G mast in West Cliff Road in Bournemouth (Image: Newsquest)

“People will use the NIMBY term, but you can guarantee if it was directly outside their property they’d be the first to complain,” said another man.

A Three spokesperson said: “5G rollout is vital for residents and businesses of Bournemouth.

“Masts need to be situated where people will be using the service and, in many cases, in precise locations to ensure the widest breadth of coverage. We carry out extensive searches and evaluate a wide range of options before submitting any planning applications.

“In order to reduce the visual impact, we have resubmitted a new proposal to reduce the visual prominence with a slimmer pole.”