Mobile phone giant O2’s plan to build a five metre tall phone mast disguised as a flag pole on top of Burnham-On-Sea’s Ritz Cinema was given a green light by town councillors on Thursday evening (July 24th).
Burnham-On-Sea.com first reported last year how O2 had submitted the application to build the mast, plus several smaller separate antennae, on the roof of the cinema in Victoria Street, pictured right.
At a council meeting on Thursday evening, members of Burnham’s Planning Applications Committee gave the proposed design the thumbs up.
“The cinema is in a conservation area, but there have been no objections from local residents,” said Cllr Pauline Pollard, who chaired the meeting.
And Cllr Chris Williams added: “The mast would be disguised as a flag pole, so I don’t see anything wrong here.”
Cllr Janet Keen said the proposed mast would not be visible to most people in the area, adding: “The mast wouldn’t be seen from The Esplanade as there are other tall buildings in this area.”
Deputy Town Clerk Denise Emery said councillors should consider whether approving the scheme “could open the floodgates to other similar applications,” but she added that any future mast applications would be reviewed on their individual merit.
The O2 plan will now go before Sedgemoor planners during the next few weeks for a final decision. Local residents have until August 12th to register their feedback.
Meanwhile, the town council’s Planning Applications Committee also decided on Thursday that it has no objection to O2 keeping a ‘temporary’ 15 metre tall mast mounted on a portable trailer next to Burnham RNLI lifeboat station for an additional 12 months. The mobile phone company is appealing against a decision by Sedgemoor District Council asking it to remove the mast.
