Plans approved for 20m high 5G pole near Peterborough playground

Plans to install a new 5G pole and cabinets near a children’s playground in Peterborough have been given the go ahead.

Peterborough City Council planners approved the application, submitted by telecoms provider Cornerstone, for a 20-metre high pole and associated green equipment cabinets on land between Mayor’s Walk and Bourges Boulevard.

Conditions of the planning approval include the removal of an existing mobile service pole, located 35 metres to the north of the application site, within three months from the installation of the new pole.

The new structure will be located near a playground, but Cornerstone assures it will have minimal impact on its users.

Plans stated: “The proposed site is situated a similar distance from the nearby playground as the existing mast. Bourges Boulevard separates the playground from the boundary of the proposed site and as such, it is considered that the overall impact of the proposal on this sensitive land use has been minimised as far as practicable.”

Houses closest to the site are to the east along Gladstone Street, but they will not have clear front-facing views of the pole once it is installed.

Views from the rear of the properties will be “partially obscured” by the line of trees, according to Cornerstone.

A new pole must be built due to the current one nearby being non-upgradeable

The new Virgin Media O2 pole would provide the latest 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G service provision for the operators, ensuring “high quality dense coverage and capacity”.

The planning application states: “The proposed site emerged as the best option in terms of location for the base installation as it’s located as far as practicable from sensitive sites and residential land uses, whilst still being located in the cell area in a way that it can replicate the coverage footprint of the existing site.”

No objections were raised about the proposal. City council planners say the pole must be installed within five years.