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"We have always been totally opposed to relocating the mast onto Jesus Green or any of the Council’s common land, and I’m delighted that we’ve been able to find an alternative." Cllr Katie Thornburrow, Executive Councillor for Planning Policy and Open Spaces
Labour councillors are today celebrating after an alternative location has been agreed for the telecoms mast that was proposed to be temporarily relocated on Jesus Green. The mast will now be relocated to Bridge House on Round Church Street, by telecoms company MBNL, after their application was approved yesterday following a detailed assessment by officers.
This means that there will be no need to erect a temporary mast on Jesus Green.
Labour councillors advocated consistently on behalf of local residents, putting their concerns to the telecoms companies involved, which resulted in the new application going forward. They also supported planning officers in gathering evidence to resolve environmental health queries about the appropriateness of the alternative location.
Ward councillors, who were consulted as part of the normal planning process, also supported the application.
Katie Thornburrow, Executive Councillor for Planning Policy and Open Spaces, welcomed the news, saying;
“This will be a great relief to local residents and everyone who makes use of this important open space. It also shows the planning system working effectively. I said at the council meeting on February 25th that I hoped that we could deliver an outcome that everyone would be happy with, and that we would do this within eight weeks. The planning department have done what we hoped they would, and I’m grateful to the team for their rapid and thorough assessment.
“We have always been totally opposed to relocating the mast onto Jesus Green or any of the Council’s common land, and I’m delighted that we’ve been able to find an alternative. Thank you especially to the Park Street Residents Association for all their work on this too, and to all who signed petitions to make sure that Cambridge residents’ voices were heard loud and clear.”
Councillors have also highlighted a long list of applications for phone masts that they have successfully opposed;
- Davy Road
- Ditton Lane
- Fulbourn Road
- Cam Causeway
- Hills Road
- Newmarket Road
- Cheddars Lane
- Round Church Street
- Cambridge Leisure Park
- Clerk Maxwell Road
- Coldhams Lane
- Radegund Road