phone mast

[bazzer]

Hi, We are tenants of a small 60 acre farm in Essex and a few weeks ago we found two people on our land doing a survey and taking photos (without our consent or knowledge). When approached they said they were from Galliford Try a telecommunications company and were here to survey for a mast on our farm. At that point they were told we weren't interested and asked to leave but in the meantime they persistently harassed the land owners for access quoting the Government regulations allowing them to come on the farm and possible court action if they weren't allowed. The owners and ourselves do not want the mast but it seems we have little choice due to this government legislation. The proposed mast will be between 17.5 and 25 meters high and have a base of 5 meters square. They are proposing to build it on our very small, wildlife friendly farm (we have Little Owls breeding yearly in a box that would be just feet away from the mast) despite having the options of 11 other sites in the village (with consent) but they have deemed them all unsuitable due to position and/or cost. Does anyone have any experience of this problem or advice for us? They are at the moment submitting planning permission for this which we are waiting to see.

 

[upnortheast]

Get yourselves a land agent to dal with them

 

[bazzer]

We have a land agent but seems to be as powerless as we are.

 

[Exfarmer]

Government has moved the goalposts in favour of the Telecoms companies in access and siting issues. The Telecoms have persauded ministers that the niggardly rents they pay are far too high and too many people are not allowing them to have masts in the right places.
Sadly the ministers have decided the rights of all souls to 24 hour facebook and Fortnite, override the common rights of landowners

 

[Boysground]

The little Owls may be the key, is it possible to get some support from one of the bird organisations to say that they will be disturbed?

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[Exfarmer]

The little Owls may be the key, is it possible to get some support from one of the bird organisations to say that they will be disturbed?

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Little owls are not native, so little help

 

[Kidds]

Sprinkle a few newts about the place.

 

[betweenthelines]

Why do you think that the local wildlife will be disturbed by a mast?

 

[Boysground]

Little owls are not native, so little help

That’s a shame, time to start looking for bats.

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[Boysground]

Little owls are not native, so little help

That’s a shame, time to start looking for bats.

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[caveman]

Maybe look for the silver linings to what you see as a black cloud.

 

[bazzer]

Maybe look for the silver linings to what you see as a black cloud.

if your meaning the financial benefit there is none been told as little as a one off payment less then £100

 

[Steevo]

Government has moved the goalposts in favour of the Telecoms companies in access and siting issues. The Telecoms have persauded ministers that the niggardly rents they pay are far too high and too many people are not allowing them to have masts in the right places.
Sadly the ministers have decided the rights of all souls to 24 hour facebook and Fortnite, override the common rights of landowners

Exactly this. The Telecommunications Code has ruined the rights of farmers/landowners. The value of new mast sites is now only based on agricultural value/crop area lost as opposed to market value.

It's supposedly to speed up the rollout of better communications technology e.g. 5G. It ignores the fact that farmers are usually the efficient link in the chain compared to the operators.

 

[caveman]

if your meaning the financial benefit there is none been told as little as a one off payment less then £100

Do you have a three phase electric supply?

 

[livestock 1]

I was approached years ago by a telecoms company to site a mast on one of our cattle sheds. It was for emergency services not commercial. My agent and myself did the deal. It’s a good few thousand a year rent for a couple of metal poles on a shed and an area of 12’ x 12’ for the cabinet boxes. The only real worry was once they are here it’s difficult to shift them on if need be. As said above the money sweetened the deal. The engineers have said the technology is there to do it by satellite now but will be years before they can do it financially viable. So in other words it won’t be forever.
Carrot is easier than stick usually

 

[bazzer]

Do you have a three phase electric supply?

no,we have no mains electric only generators here

 

[caveman]

How do you think they will power the thing?

 

[Steevo]

I was approached years ago by a telecoms company to site a mast on one of our cattle sheds. It was for emergency services not commercial. My agent and myself did the deal. It’s a good few thousand a year rent for a couple of metal poles on a shed and an area of 12’ x 12’ for the cabinet boxes. The only real worry was once they are here it’s difficult to shift them on if need be. As said above the money sweetened the deal. The engineers have said the technology is there to do it by satellite now but will be years before they can do it financially viable. So in other words it won’t be forever.
Carrot is easier than stick usually

The rules have changed since giving the operators 99% of the power. Rents that were a few thousand a year you’re lucky to get £100 now.

 

[bazzer]

How do you think they will power the thing?

they have already costed getting power there into there planning.

 

[caveman]

they have already costed getting power there into there planning.

I bet the supply won't run through your yard?