PLANS for a 5G phone mast close to homes and Middlebrook retail park have been rejected by councillors with the applicant told to look for a more suitable site.

Bolton Council’s planning committee considered Hutchison UK Ltd’s plans for a 15 metre pole and cabinets on Mansell Way, Middlebrook, Horwich.

The meeting heard that proposed site was close to the Meadows housing estate and the industrial and commercial area beyond and links to Aspinall Way.

Houses lie to the north of the application site and Middlebrook Retail Park faces the site on Mansell Way.

Horwich Town council opposed the plans on the grounds that the mast would be out of character with the surrounding area, too close to homes and that there were other more suitable sites.

The applicant stated that ‘the site is required to provide new 5G coverage and to improve coverage in the Middlebrook area’.

They, added: “The cell search areas for 5G are extremely constrained with a typical cell radius of approximately 50m meaning that it would not be feasible to site the column outside of this identified locale.”

The meeting heard that 14 separate addresses had written to object to the application on the grounds of health, safety, noise, emissions and radio waves.

Other referenced that it was ‘out of character and appearance and not in-keeping with the neighbouring Meadows housing estate’.

Another said this was ‘not the latest technology being proposed’ with an officer commenting that was not a material planning consideration.

Councillors rejected the plans, saying the location was unsuitable.