Phone firms locked in Perthshire planning dispute over bid for 20-metre mast

Perth and Kinross Council claims the structure could ruin the "sense of awe and sanctuary" in the countryside.

By Andrew Robson

June 12 2024, 3:45pm

Plans have been lodged for the phone mast in rural Perthshire to improve phone coverage, Image: Shutterstock/Google Maps

The UK’s leading phone firms are locked in a planning dispute with Perth and Kinross Council over plans to boost phone coverage.

The local authority rejected plans for a 4G mast in a rural part of the region after concerns it would ruin the “sense of awe and sanctuary”.

Plans were lodged to build the 20-metre mast on elevated rural land to the north-west of Loch Rannoch as part of the £1 billion Shared Rural Network Total Not Spot (SRN TSN) scheme.

The project, funded by the UK Government and the four main mobile network operators, aims to bring 4G coverage to remote areas with no existing coverage.

The masts are the shared responsibility of operators EE, Three, Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone.

Fears rural Perthshire phone mast would ruin ‘sense of awe’

The council said the mast would “weaken the sense of awe, remoteness and sanctuary” in the area.

It also claimed the mast would create an “incongruous, eye-catching, man-made feature which would be visible for around five kilometres within an upland valley”.

However, Cornerstone – which submitted the plans and is responsible for Vodafone’s quota of masts – has launched an appeal to the Scottish Government in a bid to overturn the decision.

The company claims the council has “overestimated the impacts” the mast would have on the area.

It also argues any physical impact on the area is “outweighed by the benefits provided by the connectivity provided”.

Drawings of the proposed phone mast in Perthshire — Drawings of the proposed phone mast. Image: Cornerstone

Cornerstone also points to the safety benefits of increasing 4G coverage in rural areas – highlighted by the SRN.

An appeal document states: “These new masts will improve the safety of people visiting the area and undertaking activities such as hillwalking, skiing, cycling and mountaineering.

“They will enable 999 calls over 4G for the first time in those areas, reducing reliance on expensive alternatives such as private radio systems and satellite phones.”

Members of the public can make representations on the appeal until July 3.

It comes as a phone giant EE is refusing to give up its fight for a 20m 5G mast in Monifieth.