MAST REFUSAL 'COULD NOT BE SUSTAINED'

Wealden officers advising councillors about the application said in a report to the development committee, north, that they considered a refusal of the plan could not be sustained at appeal and prior approval could not be required for the installation.

The town council opposed the application and 186 letters of objection were received from residents, who were particularly concerned about the health implications of a mast and equipment cabinet being sited close to a large residential area and two schools.

T

he report said the proposal was to site the mast on the highway verge on the north side of the roundabout on the east side of the road - which backs onto houses in Swallow Court - ten metres off the junction in between two existing light columns. It was not in the middle of the roundabout or on the Highlands Inn side of the roundabout.

The report said: 'There is no doubt that the scheme is unpopular, but we find no case in planning terms to argue that the column would be unsightly, obtrusive or harmful to the street.

'It would sit within the space between two existing street lamps and match them in height and visual impact.'

It also said suggestions that the ground cabinet could be a target for fly posting and graffiti should not influence the debate because fly posting/graffiti was not a planning issue.