§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they are taking to ensure that whenever possible satellites are used for telecommunications purposes instead of masts. [HL4372]
§ The Minister for Science, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville)It would not be appropriate for the Government to impose obligations on operators mandating the use of particular technology to provide their services. Whether operators choose to use satellite technology rather than masts is entirely a commercial decision for them.
§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they are taking to ensure that all companies installing telecommunications masts will have a statutory obligation to remove them and to rehabilitate the land on which they are sited as soon as they become technologically unnecessary. [HL4373]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvilleThere are provisions under Part 24 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 which require operators to remove disused masts and to rehabilitate the land on which they are sited. Developments which do not fall under these provisions fall within the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Under Section 72(1) of that Act conditions may be imposed on the grant of planning permission requiring the removal of any building or works mast authorised by the permission or the discontinuance of any use of land so authorised at the end of a specified 143WA period and the carrying out of any works required for the reinstatement of land at the end of that period.
§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they are taking to ensure that the Public Safety Radio Communications Project will respect the statutory purposes of the national parks, especially with regard to the siting of masts and equipment. [HL4374]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvilleUnder the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1985 National Parks are designated as Article 1(5) land. As such, the installation of telecommunications apparatus in a national park, including that for the Public Safety Radio Communications Project, would be subject to full planning control. Any decision on a planning application would in the first instance be a matter for the relevant local planning authority.