§ Mr. Alan JohnsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance he has issued concerning the erection of telecommunications masts. [14543]
§ Mr. CabornCurrent planning policy guidance on telecommunication development is set out in planning policy guidance note 8 (PPG8 revised December 1992). That guidance reflects the importance attached to keeping to a minimum the number of telecommunications masts, and of sites for such installations. At paragraph 27, the PPG states that the sharing of masts will help to achieve this aim, where such sharing is practicable, as will the use of existing buildings to site new antennas. Telecommunications operators, licensed by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry under the Telecommunications Act 1984, are required by their licence conditions to take all reasonable steps to investigate the possibility of mast sharing. We already advise local planning authorities in the PPG that they may reasonably expect applicants for planning permission for large masts to show evidence that they have explored the possibility of erecting antennas on an existing building, mast or other structure.
It will henceforth be our policy to extend this guidance to the development of smaller masts, particularly those which are permitted under Part 24 of Schedule 2 to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995. Where an operator seeks a prior approval determination for a mast under that Order, clear evidence should be presented to the local planning authority that the operator has investigated carefully the siting of antennas on existing buildings or other structures, including masts. This is a further factor to consider alongside the sitting factors set out in appendix E to Department of the Environment circular 9/95. If the evidence regarding the consideration of such alternative 153W sites is not considered satisfactory, the planning authority, or the Secretary of State on appeal, may be justified in refusing approval to the mast's siting.
Operators will be assisted in exploring alternatives to new mast development by the register of mast sites maintained by the Radiocommunications Agency. Operators and local planning authorities can now access that information which should help in the consideration of alternative sites that have already been cleared for radio transmission purposes.