Telecommunications mast set to be erected at Llandudno Football Club

An 85-foot telecommunications mast could be erected at Llandudno Football Club following council officers recommending Conwy’s planning committee back the plans.
The mast was put on hold at a planning meeting at Bodlondeb in February after a rival communications company objected to the plans.
Icon Tower Infrastructure Ltd applied to Conwy, seeking permission for a 26-metre-high monopole, supporting up to 12 antennas and up to four dishes at Llandudno Football Club on Builder Street West.
The plans would allow the company to offer 5G coverage.
The football ground is close to a mixture of commercial and residential properties, a coach park, skate park, and Ysgol John Bright, but the site is also located within the Cadw designated historic landscape.
But rival company Cornerstone, which operates an older mast nearby, submitted a last-minute objection. The rival company argued under legislation older masts should be first considered for an upgrade for 5G coverage.
This caused the matter to be deferred until next week’s meeting.
Council officers, though, now say planning authorities should not prevent competition between different operators, and the matter is due to be debated at a planning committee meeting on Wednesday (14 August) with officers recommending approval.
Llandudno Town Council has also recommended approval.
Conwy’s planning report concluded: “The proposal would not result in any significant adverse impact upon visual and residential amenity, or highway safety, and complies with local and national planning policy.”
The report added: “Whilst Planning Policy Wales (PPW) states that wherever possible, use should be made of existing buildings and other structures to site new equipment. It also states that planning authorities should not question the need for the telecommunications system nor seek to prevent competition between different operators.
“PPW also encourages mast sharing to ensure efficient use of infrastructure and to minimise environmental impact. The proposed mast may enable additional operators to provide telecommunications services in the locality and increase competition between operators.”
Llandudno Football Club has also applied to Conwy’s planning department, seeking permission to replace three floodlight mast poles with new ones whilst removing the halogen lights and bulbs to replace with more energy efficient LEDs.
Council officers have recommended the committee approve the plans for the club’s Builder Street West ground, and the matter is also set to be discussed at the meeting on Wednesday.

By Richard Evans – Local Democracy Reporter