Ruddingtonians have taken to social media to express their concerns about a new fifty foot tall mobile telecommunications pole which was erected in our village last weekend.
Rushcliffe Borough Council planners approved the new mast on Wilford Road in July after no objections to the proposals were received – despite the fact that it is on Green Belt land at one of our rural village gateways. The fifteen metre high mast supports three antennae and a satellite dish with a cabinet for ground based equipment beside it. A new pole was needed in the vicinity to replace existing mobile ‘phone coverage from antennae sited on the Malmic Lace factory when this building is demolished to make way for 28 new houses on Brookside Road.
The plans submitted by Clarke Telecom for, and on behalf, of CTIL & Telefonica UK Ltd seemed to show the new structure concealed and camouflaged within the line of trees alongside the Wilford Road cycle path, as illustrated below:
However, in reality, it has turned out to be rather more prominent than expected…
Trevor Hackworth posted “It’s a complete eyesore! Just typical.” Claire Harris comments “It sticks out like a sore thumb” whilst Steve Lowe says “I thought the idea was to ‘hide it’ amongst the trees?”
The brilliant white colour of the mast has also raised eyebrows: “Simply painting it the same dark green as the box sitting next to it would make a big difference,” comments Peter Siepmann. Craig Baum agrees, suggesting “Green like the one at the entrance to Mere Way would have been much better AND matched the box!”
RUDDINGTON.info has contacted the Planning & Growth Department at Rushcliffe Council highlighting residents’ concerns – but we have so far received only an automated reply stating “Your email is receiving attention”.
THEN there’s the matter of the large electricity generator which has also appeared near to the pole alongside Wilford Road to power it. Peter Groves told us: “O2 contacted The Lodge Boutique BnB to ask if they could tap into my electrical supply to feed their new mast installation just up the road. I said ‘Of course you can’ and then they sent a surveyor to assess the installation requirements – only to be told my electrical input was not enough to carry the extra 50amp load they need.”
According to an update on roadworks.org this oversight means a permanent power supply will not be connected until the end of NEXT month – with a large trench then being dug across Wilford Road and temporary lights returning for over a week from Thursday 23rd November until Friday 1st December.
Please keep checking back for further updates!
