A proposal to build a 5G mobile phone mast on a cricket pitch beside a Sutton Coldfield sports club has been met with fierce opposition, with the club saying it threatens its existence. Cornerstone, which describes itself as the ‘UK's leading mobile communications provider’, has submitted a planning application to install a 20-metre mobile mast at land at Sutton United Tennis Club off Tamworth Road.
It said the mast, with six antennas, two dishes and two ground-based cabinets, plus protective fencing, would be a replacement for an existing mobile mast on the rooftop at Four Oaks House, a former office block by Four Oaks Railway Station, which has been converted into flats.
In a letter supporting the application it said: “The application [site] is identified as the most suitable option that balances operational need with local planning policies and national planning policy guidance. It will deliver public benefit in terms of the mobile services it will provide.”
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But the land proposed for the mast is within the cricket pitch used by Four Oaks Saints Cricket Club by its thirds, juniors and ladies teams. If the mast were to be built the club says it would render the pitch unusable.
And the knock-on effect would be it would no longer pay rent to Sutton United Tennis Club, and would be an ‘existential threat’ to that club, which also fears a number of members would no longer play close to the mast.
The proposal is also opposed by residents living nearby – and even the landowner’s, Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust. Impassioned residents attended Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council’s planning committee meeting on Tuesday (November 7). They raised a number of objections.
The residents said there had been no consultation, the sports clubs had not been informed of the proposals and the town council also confirming it had not been asked about the proposal. They also claimed Sport England had not been consulted – which should be when a sports facility is threatened. They added nearby St Joseph’s School was contacted during the school summer holidays about the plan and had not been asked again.
They said a number of residents would overlook the mast site affecting the ‘visual amenity’ of the area. They did not believe alternative sites had properly been pursued.
Residents claimed the 5G mast, which would also have 3G and 4G capabilities, would create ‘excessive noise’ from its cooling fans and systems. They also claimed the mast’s proposed site would be directly above a sewer installed nine years ago.
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'The cricket pitch would be rendered useless'
Brian Jarvis – a chartered surveyor – was with the tennis club in 2014 and oversaw the construction of the 100-metre-long connection sewer across the site. He said ‘To place this in the cricket field would foul the sewer’.
Chairman of Sutton United Tennis Club, Pete McCann, spoke at the planning committee meeting and said: “The tennis club and cricket club weren’t even consulted.
“The consequence of this is the cricket club would have to leave. The cricket pitch would be rendered useless. I haven’t spoken to a single member of the tennis club who has said they will continue.
“The club has been developed over almost 100 years. It’s available 365 days of the year. I had a small stroke in July and playing tennis at my own pace helped gain my strength and balance. The proposal is totally inappropriate and threatens our very existence.”
'The public benefits of the mast do not outweigh the significant harm from the proposal'
Tina Swani, chief executive of landowners Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust, has submitted a two-page letter to Birmingham City Council’s planning department objecting to the mast plan. Amongst the comments made she said: “The proposal to site it in an inappropriate and unacceptable location within an operational playing pitch, will result in a dangerous obstruction that would have a hazardous impact upon the safety of players and, as such, prohibit the current cricket club from using the pitch.
“This would require the team to search for a new ground and put our tenant, the tennis club, into financial hardship as the costs of running the sports pitches are shared. Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust promotes inclusive access to amateur sport and the proposed scheme would obstruct that aim.
“The public benefits of the proposals in terms of enhancement to the telecoms network do not outweigh the significant harm arising from the proposal due to its siting and appearance at the Sutton United Tennis Club site.”
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'It's a travesty threatening a sports facility'
Town councillors at the planning meeting backed residents. Cllr David Allan (Trinity, Cons.) said: “This seems to be another really horrendous mast. The fact they are being ousted from Four Oaks House rather surprises me.
“I wonder if it’s more commercial than anything else. I have a suspicion if they pay more rent they would be allowed to stay.
“It’s a travesty to be threatening a sports facility. It goes against everything we want to do.”
Cllr Tony Briggs (Reddicap, Cons.) said: “My initial thoughts were it’s a good idea, off the road. But putting on the cricket pitch is a stupid idea.” The councillors voted to unanimously reject the proposal.
But the town council is a statutory consultee, not the deciding body, so it will be down to Birmingham City Council ’s planning committee to have the final say.
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'It is vital that the connectivity provided by the previous site is replaced'
Cornerstone, originally a joint venture between then O2 owners, Telefonica, and Vodafone, and now owned by Virgin Mobile O2 and Vodafone subsidiary, Vantage Towers, said the new mast was needed to replace one on Four Oaks House as it was ‘no longer suitable or able to support the equipment’, with it saying a ‘notice to quit’ had been served on them.
In its application, it said: “Cornerstone is limited in siting options as there is a requirement to provide equivalent replacement coverage and capacity for this area of Four Oaks. The proposed site is located at the Four Oak Saints sports ground on the grass between the cricket field and Sutton United Tennis Club courts.
“It is vital that the connectivity provided by the previous site is replaced to provide continued reliable mobile digital connectivity to the area.”
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It said alternative sites at Four Oaks Station were rejected ‘due to health and safety obligations and technical issues on shared frequencies’. Buildings at Hazel Court (and similar) near the station were unsuitable as trees would dwarf the mast and block signals.
A site at Wentworth Court in Lichfield Road would be ‘too visually obtrusive’. While at Baker Court (and similar), also on Lichfield Road, was discounted as the rooves were not suitable to support telecoms equipment. While the Royal Mail site at Station Approach would not provide the coverage due to trees affecting the signal.
It concluded by saying: “The social and economic benefits of providing reliable and high-quality mobile broadband connections including sustainable growth meeting the needs of the population and strengthening global competitiveness.
“This is fully supported by the NPPF and the Development Plan. These benefits are strong material considerations which outweigh any perceived loss of visual amenity to the surrounding area.”
Cornerstone has been approached for further comment given the level of objections but has yet to respond. The ultimate decision will be made by Birmingham City Council's planning committee in due course.
