Mobile Phone Masts in Riddlesdown

Proposed replacement mobile phone mast at Riddleah Court,

120 Lower Barn Rd

Updated 13/4/21

Application granted 6/4/21

A full planning application was submitted to Croydon Council to replace the existing 15 metre high O2/Vodafone mobile phone mast within the grounds of Riddleah Court,120 Lower Barn Rd and replace it with a 20m high mast with the antennae showing (the existing mast is shrouded).

This application is very similar to the application for a 20m high mast on Mitchley Ave adjoining 152 Riddlesdown Rd (see below) which was refused in April last year by the Council, as it was too tall and too close to residential dwellings. This mast will go above the tree line and will possibly be seen from higher up the valley.

More details on this link to Croydon Council website

Proposed mobile phone mast in Mitchley Ave adjoining

152 Riddlesdown Rd

Update 8/4/20

Croydon Council have refused this application.

The Officer’s report is on this link

A full planning application has now been submitted and validated by Croydon Council on 3 February for; “The installation of a 20m monopole, 12 no. antenna apertures, 9 equipment cabinets; the removal of the existing 9.7m monopole, 3 no. antennas, redundant equipment cabinets and development ancillary thereto on Mitchley Avenue.” (see drawing below).

This is a second application, as the applicant on the first application in October 2019 got the location and address wrong and it was invalidated by the Council after the RRA pointed this out.

The proposal by agents acting for EE and 3, is to remove the existing shrouded mast and equipment adjoining 95 Downs Court Rd and install a new 20 metre high unshrouded mast beside 152 Riddlesdown Rd but still situated on Mitchley Ave. They say the reason to double the height of the mast is for the new 5G roll out for EE and 3. The existing green and shrouded 9.7m high mast and all equipment will be removed. The reason why it is in a different location is so both masts will operational until the changeover.

The RRA realise that phone masts are vital for our community and we usually do not object just for the sake of it. Some EE and 3 service is very poor in parts of Riddlesdown because of the topography, so anything to improve mobile phone coverage would be good. We believe this mast is maybe too tall and unsightly. And will it mean all other masts have to be increased in height to take the 5G antennae?

The RRA have been asked by a number of concerned, nearby residents to object and we have done so.

The mast will be located about 4 metres beyond the lamp column 003 (see photo) on the back edge of the pavement. The RRA have raised concerns about the positioning of the 9 cabinets associated with the mast (400 and 600 mm wide), on the back of pavement with this new mast and that some will reduce the gap substantially between this lamp column and the new cabinets, especially for blind and visually impaired. The Council, TfL and the Govt say there should be a de-cluttering of highway street furniture now and not making it worse with all these cabinets.

The 20m high mast will be exactly two and a half times higher than lamp column 003 (which is 8 metres tall). The mast will only be 9 metres from the back of 152 Riddlesdown Rd.

The RRA do not usually object to phone masts but in this case we believe that the applicant should consider, in view of the close proximity of houses, to installing a new mast no higher than 15 metres in the exact position of the current mast and should also consider shrouding the new mast. And if necessary a temporary mast should be erected nearby, to provide ongoing mobile phone coverage during the construction works.

The consultation for comments closes on Wed 4 March 2020.

Full details and drawings are on this Croydon Council link

Other nearby mobile phone masts in the Riddlesdown RA area are generally screened and hidden.

They are located:

• in the grounds of Riddleah Court, Lower Barn Rd, near to Riddlesdown Station - 02 and Vodafone
  
  
• at the bottom of Dunmail Drive - 02, Vodafone & EE
  
  
• near the top of Dunmail Drive - close to Riddlesdown Collegiate - EE
  
  
• in Mitchley Ave adjoining 95 Downs Court Rd - 3 & EE

This article appeared on the BBC website on 27 August 2019.

The mast will be about 4 metres behind this lamp column (see photo below)

The photo below is from Google street view of the existing mast and a draft drawing and plan of the proposed mast.

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