Controversial Lewes 5G Scheme Set To Go Under Scrutiny Again

Controversial proposals related to a 5G mast in Lewes are set to go back in front of councillors.

At a meeting, due to be held on June 11, Lewes District Council’s planning committee is set to consider an application which seeks retrospective approval for a 18-metre tall monopole mast in Nevill Road.

The mast is already built, but has been at the centre of a planning dispute over the past few years.

While such facilities are normally covered by permitted development rights, the mast was built in the wrong place — several metres south of a location shown in its initial prior approval application. As a result of this discrepancy, the mast needs to secure full planning permission to remain where it is.

This latest application, from Cignal Infrastructure UK Ltd, is the second attempt to secure this planning permission.

The first attempt had been refused by the council’s planning committee in October 2023, with councillors rejecting the application on the grounds it would be “harmful to the landscape character of the area and detrimental to visual amenity.”

The applicant sought to appeal this decision, but a planning inspector dismissed their case in July last year. This dismissal was based on one reason.

The applicant had incorrectly filled in an International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) declaration — a document which sets out how such developments comply with guidelines intended to protect human health.

According to the planning inspector’s written decision, the applicant’s declaration did not include the correct company name.

It listed the applicant as Three UK Limited, the trading name of Hutchinson 3G UK Limited.

The applicant had in fact been a representive of CK Hutchison Networks (UK) Limited, a company which now goes by the name Cignal Infrastructure UK Ltd.

The inspector also said the declaration contained insufficient information about the specific mast and site, describing the overall document as “highly inadequate”.

In their decision notice, the inspector said:

“Overall, there is insufficient authoritative evidence to indicate that the appeal proposal would comply with ICNIRP guidelines.

“Consequently, I am not satisfied that it has been appropriately demonstrated that the appeal scheme would not lead to harm to human health.”

Key to the current scheme, was the fact the inspector did not share the council’s concerns around the visual impact of the mast, saying any harm could be sufficiently mitigated by painting it a dark green.

This dark green painting (and a rewritten ICNIRP declaration) form part of the current application.

Lewes District Council has seen 93 individual written objections, which raise concerns including its visual impact and location. Objections also relate to health concerns, its proximity to Wallands School and the fact the previous application had been refused.

Lewes Town Council’s own planning committee has also objected to the scheme on similar grounds.

Planning officers are recommending the scheme be approved.

In a report set to be considered by the committee, a council planning spokesman said:

“Notwithstanding some of the representations received, if changes are made such that the new application is different to the previous, there is no reason for the local planning authority to decline to determine the application.

“In this case the ICNIRP certificate has been altered to address the planning inspector’s reason for dismissing the appeal, and the applicant is proposing to paint the mast and equipment green.”

The spokesman added:

“In your officers’ view the siting of the mast is acceptable and its appearance would be further mitigated by painting both the mast and the equipment cabinets green.

“The ICNIRP certificate submitted with the application meets the necessary requirements and is clearly linked to both the applicant and this specific telecom installation. As such approval is recommended.”

For further information see application reference SDNP/25/00266/FUL on the South Downs National Park Authority website.