Plans for a 13-metre amateur radio mast in Wroxall have been taken to appeal after the Isle of Wight Council refused a planning application, citing concerns over its impact on the surrounding landscape.
Thomas Morgan of St John’s Road had applied to install the mast and a high frequency (HF) beam antenna to the rear of his home, which sits closely with the Isle of Wight National Landscape.
County Hall refused the application, concluding the proposed structure would appear “incongruous and harmful” and would detract from the character and appearance of the area.
The council also said the development would have an adverse impact on the setting of the adjacent National Landscape and on the enjoyment of the countryside by users of the nearby Red Squirrel recreational route.
Mr Morgan has now lodged an appeal against the decision through his planning agent, Phil Salmon Planning.
In a statement submitted to the Planning Inspectorate, the agent argues the mast would support lawful amateur radio operations while causing “no demonstrable harm” to neighbouring properties or the wider area.
The appeal statement says:
“The proposal is modest in physical footprint, causes no loss of habitat or biodiversity, creates no traffic, no noise nuisance, no overlooking, no overshadowing and no loss of privacy.”
Article continues below this advertisement “The environmental health officer raised no objection to the proposal and accepted that there is no evidence of harmful health effects arising from amateur radio transmissions.”
The application attracted 25 objections from members of the public during the consultation process.
Among the concerns raised were the mast’s visual impact on the village and surrounding countryside, claims it would benefit only a single individual rather than the wider community, and its visibility from the nearby English Heritage site at Appuldurcombe House.
The appeal will now be considered by the Planning Inspectorate, which will decide whether the council’s refusal should be upheld or overturned.
With the applicants proximity to the isle of wight donkey sanctuary i would have strensously objected to this radio tower if i had known about it.There is scientific evidence that long term exposure to RF waves can have a huge negative impact on animals,disrupting their reproduction cycles, damage to celluar levels, in the case of birds of which the island is graced RF waves affect mating, nesting and throws of their navigational ability.
These structures do more harm than good.
Utter tosh. Radio waves are not harmful in our environment. Show me the report that says the Amateur Band is harmful to wildlife please.
I think you are confusing research done regarding the sort of high power radio equipment used in commercial broadcast and radar installations that transmit continuously at very high power. (e.g. the 2014 article in Nature magazine about the impact of AM broadcast stations on migratory birds or possibly the 2021 reviews)
This is completely different, the power is much lower for amateur radio and the signals intermittent – even a very active amateur would be on the radio for a couple of hours a day at most and talking for about 10% of that time.
There is also a requirement for all amateurs to carry out a detailed EMF assessment to ensure that they are within the limits for exposure defined by the standards authority (ICNIRP) which ensures that there is no possibility of exposure to harmful levels of electromagnetic radiation.
By all means campaign to have the television and radio masts shut down, mobile phone networks powered off, ADSL (phone broadband) and cheap Chinese electronics banned because all of these do produce EMF levels capable of affecting wildlife (and interfering with a lot more).
But please don’t just take my word for it and double check your research first.
Utter bo**ocks. If it was a mobile phone mast it would be deemed “essential infrastructure”, enabling the whole community to scroll aimlessly and poison each other on social media.
Perhaps IWC Planning is unaware of the contribution radio amateurs make to emergency communications, or the benefit of international friendships made over the airwaves?
But I’m forgetting what an outstanding beauty spot is Wroxall, certain to be ruined by the presence of a near-invisible mast. And I bet you’d need a ladder and binoculars to see it from Appuldurcombe, not that anybody would be looking.
By the way, what’s an “amateur radio presenter”?
Spot on HH.. But do spare a thought for the sanctity of all those ancient ass’s reproduction cycles. As for ‘amateur radio presenter’, I think the cub reporter meant radio ham. And just think, if the mast were allowed, the ham would be able to find out if it was raining in Tokyo. (copyright T. Hancock Esq. Railway Cuttings East Cheam)
I am not talking about the mast but the amount of RF waves it will give off, what contribution do they make to emergency communciation, have you heard of this new thing called the internet it may revolutionise communications and it doesnt need a 40 foot mast.
Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise.
Funnily enough I have heard of the internet, and it depends entirely on the availability of your local service provider’s hub. And that’s assuming that Putin or the Chinese haven’t got into it. The amateur radio network is completely independent of all external influences (can run off batteries so doesn’t even need the mains).
As for the “RF waves”, I’m sure BB understands the relationship between radiated power density and harmful radiation levels at amateur frequencies.
And what about a mobile phone booster mast? It transmits/receives 24/7 at huge power. No health/wildlife issues there.Same for the TV transmitters all over the country and endless radio stations.
With all that RF about, it’s a wonder there is any wildlife left in the UK.
In an emergency or disaster situation no power means no internet but amateur radio still works and can quickly establish emergency communications over a wide area. (Google RAYNET if you want the details)
As for the amount of radio waves, even the chattiest doesn’t talk for more than 5 minutes at a time – you probably generated more RF reading this over your internet connection than a Ham does in a week.
Now if it was a phone mast……
If you don’t like looking at it, look away. Simple. Nothing but NIMBYs.
What a bonkers comment that is.
If you don’t like rough sleepers, look away.
If you don’t like graffiti, look away.
Etc, etc.
The same thing seems to happen when twits park on
Double Yellow Lines or Pavements take for example
the pavement inside a pedestrianised zone outside the old tourist information centre opposite the Pier in Sandown
The traffic wardens look away and take the easy option
by booking a vehicle who went a few minutes over 1 hour.
That is why the island is in a mess.
Too many people look away.
Don’t know the circumstances or people involved but would you not get approval before embarking on that hobby or maybe the house purchase itself if the mast would be an important factor?
What a load of twaddle to object to a small aerial mast, there is one near to Albert Cottage & Queen Victoria Osborne House.
they are not unsightly and you very wouldn’t see this application from Appledurcombe House, and Wroxall it certainly cannot damage the aesthetic views of the place at all…. In fact it might improve it.
Now if that was a Telephone mast for the local people would it be objected to by the planners or the locals, no I didn’t think so.
plus if there were any emergencies this man would be the person to enable contact to be made.
“County Hall refused the application, concluding the proposed structure would appear “incongruous and harmful” and would detract from the character and appearance of the area”
In Wroxall?
Have these people at the council seen the decay and neglect all over the Island? Almost every street has at least one – that once loved home that now houses a fool who “mends” (lol) old cars in the front garden; or piles of rubbish; or an old sofa; dirty windows and exterior walls, peeling render; overgrown grass up to your waist; you know, the one where folk used to care but are now long gone. They can’t live tidily but are often very smart indeed when it comes to benefits.
And here we are, refusing an amateur radio ham a very simple facility.
Just been looking at the Planning Application for the Ancillary Development of the EE mast at Span Farm in Rew Lane Wroxall, which has a significant impact on landscape views due to the height at which it is located.
That was approved on 26 July.
It is, as HH mentions a “mobile phone mast”.
What’s the difference?
Errr money? How much to these mobile companies pay in planning, designing and building each mast, plus the infrastructure on site, plus the legal team to ensure it meets a standard, and then the ‘costs’ of the planning application. as opposed to an individual with a very interesting hobby that harms no one and gives pleasure to those involved. I wonder if the radio waves might interfere with the phone mast in some way, but that would smack of collusion so not an issue obviously.
What are tetra masts then they give off weird emissions! Has anyone seen that hideous white mast at the top of Staplers on the roundabout ? What a monstrous erection, it can’t be any worse than this thing ?