Telecommunications

Introduction

Planning Legislation

The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2001 No. 266 introduced a requirement for planning permission for a range of telecommunications developments (including all ground masts), and changed permitted development rights of operators'. These legislative changes came into effect on 23 July 2001.

Planning Advice Note 62 (PAN), Aberdeen Local Plan policy 9 and the Communications Infrastructure section of the Scottish Planning Policy all seek to ensure that telecommunications masts, antennae and equipment are sited and designed to minimise visual impact and intrusion. The PAN goes one step further by stating that developments should be concealed and disguised where possible. It is, however, recognised that technical requirements and constraints may limit opportunities for sensitive design and siting. Further, operators should look to look at mast and site sharing as an option in order to lessen the impact of proposed development. The SPP is clear that planning authorities should support the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure and should take into account the economic and social implications of not having full coverage capacity in areas.

Health Issues

It should be noted that National Legislation states that any public health issues in the context of telecommunications are matters for the Government, the telecommunications regulating authority i.e. Ofcom and the mobile industry - not the planning system. National guidance concludes that it is not necessary for planning authorities to treat radio frequency emissions as a material consideration and that siting and design of telecommunications development are the key issues to be addressed through the planning system. Similarly the perception of health risk is not a matter that the planning system is expected to address.

It is recommended that individuals with concerns about the health issues should contact Ofcom.

Annual Roll-out Plans

Every autumn, the five commercial mobile telephone operators provide the local planning authority with information to show their plans for the mobile network development in the area for the coming year. This provides information on each operators existing and planned base station network in the area. The information is provided in order that the planning authority, elected Members and community councils are aware of the proposed development and can be involved in discussions regarding the siting and design of equipment with operators prior to the submission of planning applications. The mobile operators are not bound to bring forward proposals for these areas of search, nor does the identification of these sites prevent other sites being identified. The submission of this information does not in anyway prejudice the consideration of any planning application that may be required.

The following rollout plan .pdf file is provided by MOA: 

• Telecommunications List

(Aberdeen City Council accept no responsibility for omissions and errors.)

Planning Applications

You can use our advanced search facility to view the details of planning applications submitted for telecommunications masts at the following link:

• Planning Applications Advanced Search

As part of our commitment to improving accessibility to information, we are working on an online map search facility in conjunction with the online planning application search. We hope to have this facility up and running in the near future.

 

Contacts

• Development Management Team
  Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure
  Aberdeen City Council
  Business Hub 4
  Marischal College
  Broad Street
  Aberdeen
  AB10 1AB
  Phone: 01224 523470
  Fax: 01224 523180
  Email: pi@aberdeencity.gov.uk