A telecoms giant has gone to the Scottish Government after Angus councillors backed campaigners against a new phone mast.
One objector’s impassioned plea convinced a committee to reverse the advice of the council’s own planners for a 70-foot structure in Kirriemuir.
Telefonica UK, the owner of the O2 commercial network, argues they “failed to appreciate” its reasons for the mast at a haulage yard in the Angus town’s Cortachy Road.
The firm believes a government reporter will support its “only option” to upgrade the 4G signal west of Kirriemuir.
One councillor backing the bid said blocking the 4G mast plan would send out the wrong signal over Angus not being “open for business” because of the poor rural connectivity already costing the area dearly.
The committee voted 7-3 to refuse the mast after being swayed by the emotional plea of nearby resident Lorna Wotherspoon, who said the siting of the structure would be “totally intolerable”.
“Society and community is about people – we are the people who are going to have to live with this for the rest of our lives,” she said.
“I am begging you, don’t let this happen. I can’t find a way to live with this thing dominating where I live.”
In an application to the department for planning and environment appeals, planning consultant Jodie Kane states: “This development will act as an integral part of the appellant’s wider cellular network and will provide a future mast sharing opportunity for Vodafone Limited.
“In refusing the subject application the council have considered the proposed development to be detrimental to the visual amenity of the surrounding area by virtue of its siting…
“In doing so, the council has not acted in line with Scottish Government guidance and indeed their own adopted and proposed development plan policy recommendations for telecommunications development.
“The council has failed to appreciate the justification as to why the subject site has been put forward as the best available planning option.”
The department has judged the appeal to be in order and is yet to assign a reporter to test the case.
