Well done - This Application was REFUSED by CBC on 10th January, 2003.
Objection by the Danbury Society.
Planning Application 02/01924/FUL by ntl.
Dear Danbury & Little Baddow Resident,
1. It has been brought to the attention of The Danbury Society that Chelmsford Borough Council have received a Planning Application from mmO2 to increase the height of the Radio Mast by the Water Tower, Church Green (by St John's Church). This increase is by 5 metres (16ft 5ins) and to provide 3 number of 4 dipoles and a 0.6metre (2ft +) dish.
Existing aerial mast as seen from the Church Allotments
At present the Mast is 26metres tall. The increase will bring the lattice framework to 31metres with a few aerials on top (thin ones) to about 34 and 36metres or so. The new dish is to be centred at 30.4metres.
There are 26 aerials on the mast at present.
The address to write to with any objections you may have is:
Chelmsford Borough Council
Civic Centre
Duke Street
CHELMSFORD
CM1 1JE
Attention of Town Planning Services.
Quote Planning Application 02/01924/FUL
The cut-off date for objections is now 18th October 2002.
The Danbury Parish Office has a copy of all the Planning documents.
2. There is now a Public Planning Application yellow notice displayed at the Mast Site. Well done the Danbury Parish Council for getting one put up. Many persons walk past the Radio Mast each day.
3. We now know it is for the Police Handheld Radios in the frequency range 380 to 430 MHz. It could well be argued that since the Police Station in Danbury has been closed the only Policemen we see in Danbury come by car from South Woodham Ferrers by car. This has a more powerful transmitter and a better receiver and car aerial. We therefore do not require a local transmitter for walking Policemen.
The project is part of a Home Office recommended Public Safety Radio Communication Project (PSRCP) also now known as Airwave Service. It is a digital service. It is also sometimes called TETRA, short for Trans European Trunked Radio or Terrestrial Trunked Radio.
It is intended to go National with this before 2005 when the Government withdraws the existing analogue frequencies.
4. As far as we can see someone has already put 3 similar aerials up on the mast which I think are of a similar frequency. Possibly without Planning Permission.
See photo and the numbered aerials 1, 2 & 3.
The centre dipole seems to be Chelmer FM.
Existing 3 dipole aerials as seen from the Church Allotments
5. The Alarm on my Volvo car operates on 433.92 MHz and is badly affected by existing transmissions from time to time at the moment from this Mast and from Bakers Lane.
The Amateur 70cm band nudges the new Police Band - goodness knows what the effect of this will have on existing users of the 430 - 438 MHz Band.
6. The main objection is visual impairment in a Conservation Area and an Area of Outstanding Beauty.
At present when one looks at Danbury Hill one sees a Church Spire, a Radio Mast and a Water Tower.
In future I feel it will be a Radio Mast, Church Spire and a Water Tower.
Existing mast as seen from by The Cricketers public house in Penny Royal Road
Danbury Hill can be seen for miles, mainly from the West, the South and East.
Existing mast as seen from Slough Road
Close-up of the existing mast as seen from Slough Road
Existing mast as seen from Upper Playing Field
Existing mast as seen from Upper Playing Field
Trees and the shape of the hill mean that the Radio Mast & Church Spire cannot so easily be seen from the North.
7. Ntl also own/run the Bakers Lane Radio Mast but did not consider putting the new aerials there due to a restriction in the numbers of aerial put on the Mast by CBC.
8. Thanks to David Bolwell you can find more about this project by going to Rampage to Radio Frequency Allocation Sheet, you need pages 31 & 32 for 430 MHz.
9. May I urge you to write in Opposing this Planning Application.
We may not win, but if we don't try we certainly will not get it stopped!.
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