Lewes: Action being taken against huge 5G mast

The “eyesore” mast has attracted outrage from people who say it is intrusive and overbearing on the area.

The mast, which was installed in October last year by telecoms company Three, can be seen from outside the town, towering over houses, critics say.

Lewes District Council is taking enforcement action on the structure which is in Nevill Road, Lewes.

The mast seen from someone's garden (Image: Supplied)

A council spokesman said: “We are using all the powers available to us to secure the removal of the structure or the submission of a retrospective planning application.

“In the event of an application being submitted, it will be subject to public scrutiny and comment prior to any formal decision being made.”

Three submitted a retrospective planning application on July 7.

Green Councillor Nicky Blackwell said: “The mast sits just a few metres from the school and nursery and is right in the middle of one of the South Downs National Park's protected views.

“We can see this intrusive, ugly mast from houses all over the Nevill estate and from the Landport Bottom nature reserve. It’s more prominent than Lewes Castle.”

The mast seen from Landport Bottom nature reserve near Lewes (Image: Supplied)

Residents in the area sent a 55-page letter to the council and South Downs National Park Authority “highlighting the catalogue of errors” in the application and the planning process.

“I am heartened by the community spirit and the detailed work that the residents of Nevill and Wallands have put into opposing this eyesore and I am happy to have been able to support their action,” said Councillor Kevin West.

“To be clear, this is not about whether 5G is or isn’t safe: all masts must have appropriate planning permission and the requested permission does not match what has been built. It must come down.”

The 5G mast in Nevill Road (Image: Supplied)

The 5G masts fit within the same electromagnetic spectrum as radios, mobile phones and microwaves.

The radio wave band, used for mobile phone networks, is non-ionising, “which means it lacks sufficient energy to break apart DNA and cause cellular damage”, David Robert Grimes, a physicist and cancer researcher, told The BBC.

All radio frequency radiation is described by the World Health Organisation as “possibly carcinogenic”. Wood dust and alcoholic drinks are also on this list.

Last year, residents in Heathy Brow, Peacehaven, won their fight against Three to get a planning application for a 40 foot 5G mast rejected.

Three said at the time that its 5G rollout “complies with all global standards on health and safety” and urged people to look at Ofcom's independent testing to find out more about it.

The Ofcom independent testing link can be accessed here (PDF): https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/190005/emf-test-summary.pdf

A Three spokeswoman said: “5G rollout is vital for residents and businesses of Lewes. We want to offer the community a reliable network experience and this site will be critical to making that happen.

"Our planning consultants have been in discussion with officers of Lewes District Council regarding the site on Nevill Road, Lewes, and a retrospective planning application was resubmitted to Lewes District Council on July 7."