New 18-metre 5G monopole to be installed outside city centre approved

Network provider Three was this week granted permission to erect the monopole on the corner of Sun Street and Wednesfield Road, close to the city’s main Royal Mail Delivery Office.

The application, made by Cignal Infrastructure UK, will enable improved coverage and capacity in relation to 5G telecommunications – the fifth generation technology standard for broadband cellular networks,

A statement from senior planning officer Stephen Alexander said: “Prior approval is required for the siting and appearance of the proposed development but is hereby granted in accordance with the plans and drawings submitted by the applicant.

“The  mast will be sited at a busy traffic light-controlled junction with queuing traffic at most times of the day. The nearest houses are a good distance away. Also, the pavement is wide enough to accommodate the development and there will be no adverse impact on highway safety. The siting and appearance of the mast is acceptable  in this location.”

A statement from WHP Telecoms, acting on behalf of the applicant, said: “There is now a requirement to upgrade the Cignal Infrastructure UK (Three) network to provide improved coverage and capacity – most notably in relation to 5G services.

“The proposal is for an 18-metre monopole on Sun Street. As with all 5G cells, this is a very constrained cell search area. Options are extremely limited and the only viable solution that minimises amenity issues is the one that has been put forward.

“Network provider Three are in the process of rolling out the UK’s fastest 5G network. Three has 140 MHz of 5G spectrum, with 100 MHz of it operating together in a sequence, which means our service will be much faster and able to handle more data.

“To bring this new technology to the people of Wolverhampton, Cignal Infrastructure UK will need to provide a mix of upgrades to existing sites and the building of new sites. New sites will be needed for many reasons – the higher radio frequencies used for 5G do not travel as far as those frequencies currently in use, and sometimes not all existing sites can be upgraded. In this area there is an acute need for a new mast to deliver the above,” added the statement.

“It should be noted however, that the nature of 5G and the network services it provides means the equipment and antennas required are quite different to the previous – and existing – service requirements. In particular, the nature of the antennas and the separation required from other items of associated equipment, is such that it cannot utilise some existing structures that provide an installation for another operator, most notably in a street works or highways environment.

“The height of the pole has been kept down to the absolute minimum capable of providing the required essential 5G coverage. Also, the site has been selected on a wide area of the highway in a position that will not impede pedestrians or the safety of passing motorists. The three cabinets are permitted developments and do not form part of the proposal from a planning consideration perspective.

“This equipment is considered unlikely to have any material impact on the local area. The cell search area was assessed at the survey stage from a planning and residential amenity perspective. The planning constraints – where there are any – have shaped the location of the proposal,” it said.

“The surrounding area is predominantly residential in nature and the proposed telecommunications development has been carefully sited away from any houses and towards an area of commercial use. The mast will be positioned on a wide stretch of pavement adjacent to Wednesfield Road, allowing pedestrians to maintain unrestricted access to the footpath.”