New plans set to bring mobile phone coverage to Craster

Plans to install a 23m tall telecommunications tower in the upper section of Craster Quarry car park are being developed.

A notice of the proposal has been submitted to the council by Beacon Communications on behalf of Atlas Tower Group.

Craster Parish Council has welcomed the plan with clerk Adam Shanley stating: “Delivery of mobile phone coverage to our community has been a long-running campaign by the parish council.

"We wish to commend colleagues at Atlas Tower Group as well as iNorthumberland for this high-quality proposal and their work with us over the last number of months.

"This proposal will deliver significant public benefits to our parish and we urge the local planning authority to approve this proposal without delay.”

Photo montages of the proposed mast have been submitted by the applicant after visual impact concerns were raised during initial discussions with the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership.

But Mr Shanley continues: “None of the nearby buildings within the bounds of the car park are suitable for hosting telecommunications equipment, and most of the buildings within Craster village are low-level residential properties and equally unsuitable.

“An on-street solution within the bounds of Craster village would be inappropriate, however, the chosen location, sited within the car park is shielded by the quarry walls and vegetation and will therefore not impact the ordinary visual amenity of residents or visitors.

“The parish council is satisfied that there are no adverse impacts on views to and from Dunstanburgh Castle, the Northumberland Coast AONB or listed buildings.

"The height of the proposed mast is such that this will allow full coverage of our parish area – including Craster, Dunstanburgh Castle and Dunstan – which is highly welcome as earlier proposals covered only Craster village itself.

“In any event, any perceived negative impacts will be far outweighed by the overall benefits of the scheme.”

Atlas is funding the costs of the development.

A report to councillors in February said: ‘‘Despite being a tourist hot spot, the village has a substantial residential population, many of them elderly and at risk of isolation.

‘Craster was greatly impacted by Storm Arwen and there are concerns for the future with the replacement of landlines with digital phones which will not function if the broadband connection is lost.

‘Craster is a genuine ‘not spot’ for mobile signal and if this mast does not proceed then over 250 residents/businesses and 250,000 visitors to the area will not be able to access mobile services.’

Beacon planning consultant Helen Bolam, in the planning document, states: “It is paramount that digital connectivity is supported and maintained throughout the country.

“In particular the current massive shift in user demand from city centres and places of work to residential areas and suburbs requires an improvement in coverage and capacity throughout the whole network. The current proposal therefore seeks to provide such additional capacity to the network.

“The location enables the whole of the surrounding area to benefit from improved 5G network coverage and has been designed to be futureproof, thus enabling other technologies to be deployed depending upon the demand required."