Mobile mast upgrade at Billingham railway station scheme being considered by council planners

A higher mobile phone mast will be installed and a railway station telecommunications site extended for better signals under proposals submitted to council planners.

Mobile and digital infrastructure company Cornerstone has applied to install a new 22.5m mast at Billingham railway station, replacing the existing 17.5m mast at the site, and supporting six antennas and three upgraded cabinets in an extended fenced compound. Stockton Council is considering whether or not it needs to give approval for the equipment at the telecommunications site off Leeholme Road and Marsh Avenue, near the car park.

The firm wants to remove and replace the mast "to provide improved coverage and increased network capacity, along with the provision of 5G service... to meet increasing demand for services in the surrounding areas and to support the government's ambitions for high-quality telecommunications networks across the UK".

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Matthew Silverwood, director of the company's agent Sinclair Darby, said in a letter to the council: "This is an application for a determination as to whether the prior approval of the authority will be required as to the siting and appearance of the development."

He said the radio base station upgrades would improve service for O2, "to provide enhanced connectivity and new 5G to the area". He said: "The current equipment cannot accommodate the operator's latest requirements. As such, replacement equipment is needed in order to implement this upgrade.

"Mobiles can only work with a network of base stations in place where people want to use their mobile phones or other wireless devices. Without base stations, the mobile phones and other devices we rely on simply won’t work.

"The existing mast is not suitable for reuse. This is because modern equipment is heavier and therefore requires a more robust mast to support it. The new mast will also be required to support a greater quantity of equipment which will provide a greater range of technologies than the existing mast."

'Extended slightly westward'

He said the proposed "slimline monopole" mast would be 5m higher to cover the right areas because 5G technology is more easily interrupted by "clutter" like buildings and vegetation. It will support six antennas "to ensure improved coverage".

He added: "All equipment will be enclosed within the site compound which is to be extended slightly westward to accommodate the increased amount and size of equipment required to upgrade the site. The site location benefits from being away from the residential areas and on the southern side of a commercial area enclosed by Marshhouse Avenue, Saunton Road and the railway line.

"The site is also bordered by trees and vegetation to two sides providing an element of screening from different vantage points. The upgrading of the site would not result in substantial harm beyond that which has already been accepted under previous applications.

"The upgrading of this site therefore presents an opportunity to address a need for coverage without having to site an additional base station installation in the area," he added, saying they tried to minimise environmental impact. "The amount of telecommunications equipment on the site has been kept to a technical minimum and the smallest practical components have been utilised."

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