Third attempt by EE to site new mobile phone base station in Bishop's Stortford

A new site for a mobile telephone base station has been proposed by provider EE.

The latest planning application to East Herts Council (EHC) is for land east of London Road, south of Pig Lane and west of the railway line on what is currently a tenant car parking area.

It will replace rooftop equipment at The Bishop’s Stortford High School. EE has to move this as the secondary is moving to a new campus off Whittington Way as part of the St James’ Park development and its current site is to be redeveloped with more than 200 homes.

EE has told the council a replacement station is required to maintain coverage in the town.

An earlier application for a 20m (65.6ft) high telecommunications mast and associated apparatus on a grass verge off London Road was refused by the planning authority.

EHC then indicated it would support a site at Haslemere Industrial Estate in Pig Lane, but lease issues meant the land could not be legally acquired.

According to the applicant, EHC said it would look favourably on the latest proposed site, provided there was minimal impact on trees. The mast and the cabinets are to be coloured fir green.

EE says: “The proposed new mast will not only service voice calls but will include provision for 3G/4G and newly-developed 5G data use which will be of great benefit to all users of the network.

“The application site has been specifically selected to assimilate into the existing character of the area and utilise the natural environment to mitigate any perceived visual impacts.

“The replacement site must be in the same geographical area to ensure that the lost network coverage is replaced effectively.”