Mast would 'harm' £300m Blackpool Central leisure development

A bid to put a 15 metre tall phone mast on land earmarked for the £300m Blackpool Central development has been thrown out by council planners who said it would damage the setting of the proposed new tourist attraction.
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Developers are currently seeking sites for scores of telecommunications masts in the resort as part of national plans to introduce 5G connectivity.

A number have already been installed in Blackpool, but planners have put the brakes on the latest scheme submitted by telecoms giant CK Hutchison Networks for a site on the corner of New Bonny Street and Central Drive.

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Blackpool Central developers Nikal and Media Invest Entertainment were among objectors to the application, warning it would have a detrimental impact on their proposals.

An artists impression of the Blackpool Central development showing the area where the mast would have been locatedAn artists impression of the Blackpool Central development showing the area where the mast would have been located
An artists impression of the Blackpool Central development showing the area where the mast would have been located

The site of the mast impinged on a ‘wayfinding’ feature designed to link the leisure destination with the town centre.

A council planning report says: “A tall, architectural wayfinding feature is proposed as part of the building design to reinforce this role.”

It adds: “A telecommunications mast in this position with a height of 15 metres would compromise the design function of this building and could break the link between the site and town centre by forming an incompatible distraction from this high quality design feature.

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“The mast would form a jarring and incoherent feature next to a building of high design quality.

“As well as having a detrimental visual impact on the regeneration efforts in this part of the town, the installation of the equipment would impact on the implementation of this permission given that a building is proposed to be located where the mast would go.

“This would in turn have a notable impact on the very significant benefits it is expected to deliver for the wider area.”

The applicant had said in its submission the mast would enable high speed mobile connectivity which ” is the lifeblood of a community” having benefits for education and commercial activity and meeting “the increased need and demand for working from home, as well as enjoying access to social, media and gaming for leisure time activities.”

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