Public Outcry Over 30m Phone Mast Plan Near Wivelsfield Railway Station

Plans to erect a towering 30-metre mobile phone mast near Wivelsfield railway station in Burgess Hill have sparked a wave of local opposition, with residents branding the proposal an "eyesore" and a "blot on the landscape."



67 letters have been received in opposition to the gigantic lattice tower. Burgess Hill Town Council's Planning Committee have also expressed their objection to the scheme.

The proposed site is right by the railway embankment that suffered a significant landslip in December 2019 - which is to the west of Grange Close off Valebridge Road.

It is stated that only the upper sections of the tower will be visible to some of the nearby properties at Maple Close, The Blackthorns and Grange Close due to 'the intervening trees'.

The footprint of the compound will be 10 metres by 15 metres.



In justifying putting the 30-metre high mast in an area of public open space, the documentation states: Overall, it is considered that the scheme does not demonstrate substantial harm to the local area, and in any event, it is argued that the public benefits of the proposal would outweigh any perceived harm. As the scheme seeks to introduce 5G technologies during a climate where economic recovery is paramount, the public benefits associated with this upgrade cannot be undervalued.

A technical support document supplied by Cellnex UK as part of the planning application, states: The principal objective of the Brighton Main Line project is to provide seamless fourthgeneration (4G) connectivity to passengers using the railway line. It will also provide the important secondary benefit of providing improved 4G coverage and capacity to the areas either side of the railway line.

Burgess Hill Town Council's objection reasons to the application are:
Recommend Refusal. The Committee felt it contravened: Mid Sussex District Plan: DP23 Communication Infrastructure regarding concerns about the location and appearance of structures.
DP26 Character and Design due to the overbearing impact on local residents.
DP29 Noise, Air and Light Pollution as no noise impact assessment has been provided. DP38 Biodiversity


This tree will be for the chop if the mast and compound are approved

But it's good news for local football fans
Attendees to Burgess Hill Town Football Club at Leylands Park will find the proposed new mast beneficial, with the mobile signal at the stadium being a black spot in coverage, the download speeds are painful at best.

Further Information
The read all the objection letters and the other associated documentation for this application, look up reference number DM/25/0589 on the MSDC Panning Portal, here