Residents in a council estate in Selhurst are claiming a victory after an application to erect a massive telephone mast, half the height of Nelson’s Column, which a commercial developer wants to plonk right in their backyards, was rejected by the council’s planners.
Towering presence: documents submitted to Croydon Council showed how the mast would dwarf neighbouring homes
The planning application for this massive piece of 5G infrastructure at the back of Roden Gardens, nearly 80-foot tall and with two-foot wide dishes, was submitted to Croydon’s planners in May.
The proposed tower, “Totally dwarfs the flats next to where they want to build it and uses up valuable green space used by both residents and inhabited by wildlife,” a concerned resident told Inside Croydon.
But today, one of the Roden Gardens residents who co-ordinated the campaign opposing the 5G mast contacted this website, writing, “Thanks for reporting on this – the application was rejected and we are over the moon!”
Council planners issued the rejection notice last week to the applicants, West Byfleet-based Waldon Telecom Ltd, under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
The notice, from the council’s chief planner, Nicola Townsend, said: “I refer to your application which was received on 3rd May 2024 and write to inform you that the London Borough of Croydon, as the Local Planning Authority, have resolved to Not Approve the siting and appearance of the proposed works…”.
And Townsend set out the planners’ reasoning: “The proposed mast and associated cabinets, by virtue of their siting and appearance, would be significantly dominant and prominent within the street scene and would introduce a large and incongruous feature within the existing green space that would have a significantly detrimental impact upon the character and appearance of the surrounding area including potential loss of trees and vegetation.
“The proposed development is hereby contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework 2023, Policies D3 and G1 of the London Plan 2021 and Policies SP4, SP8, DM10, DM28 and DM33 of the Croydon Local Plan 2018.”
Townsend gave a further two points for the application’s rejection: “By reason of its siting, scale and design, the proposed mast would have a significantly overbearing and visually intrusive impact upon the surrounding neighbouring properties and would thereby conflict with Policies D3 and D6 of the London Plan 2021 and Policies SP4 and DM10 of the Croydon Local Plan 2018.”
And: “The applicant has failed to adequately demonstrate the need for the proposal and there are no existing areas, buildings, masts or other structures on which the proposed apparatus can be sited. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policy DM33 of the Croydon Local Plan 2018.”
Given the extent and pace of the necessary roll-out of 5G infrastucture, Townsend’s rejection, and the campaign by residents of Roden Gardens, could become a useful template for future public opposition against inappropriate mast proposals.
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ROTTEN BOROUGH AWARDS: In January 2024, Croydon was named among the country’s rottenest boroughs for a SEVENTH successive year in the annual round-up of civic cock-ups in Private Eye magazine
