New 5G masts to be installed on Scarborough building’s rooftop

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The installation of a new 5G electronic communications base station on the rooftop of the Scarborough Telephone Exchange building has been given the go-ahead by North Yorkshire Council.

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A 3.75m extension will be added to the existing rooftop mast to accommodate nine replacement antennas and other radio equipment.

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Cellnex UK, which applied for permission to upgrade the equipment, operates part of the site for Virgin Media O2.

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The building currently accommodates an existing five-metre rooftop stub mast. The proposed works involve an extension to this structure to hold the new and upgraded equipment, resulting in an increase in overall height.

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“Unlike earlier generations of mobile connectivity, 5G has more significant technical and operational requirements, and this has implications on the amount, height, position and design of the new base station apparatus on the rooftop of the building,” according to submitted plans.

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Scarborough Current Mast And Proposed 5g Mast. Cellnex.

Cellnex described the telephone exchange as a utilitarian, three-storey building with a flat roof, which currently accommodates a telecommunications base station including the established stub mast and associated telecommunications apparatus.

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It said: “In visual terms, the change will be perceived in the context of the existing rooftop installation, where the design of the headframe remains as existing.

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“The upgrade does not give rise to any unacceptable additional visual impact.”

The company added that the number of antennas and dishes and their size had been kept “to the minimum necessary” to provide 4G and 5G coverage and to link the site back into the operator’s network.

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The application was approved by North Yorkshire Council on Friday, May 1, subject to conditions.