After years of complaints, a phone mast in South Bristol is finally being dismantled, bringing relief to frustrated residents.
Bristol: So, the saga of that phone mast in South Bristol is finally coming to an end. Work has kicked off to take down this massive 30-meter mast that’s been looming over people’s gardens for over four years. It all started back in 2020 when the mast was put up as an ‘emergency measure’ during the second Covid lockdown, and boy, did it stir up some anger among the locals.
Residents on Gerald Road and Smyth Road were pretty upset. They had no clue the mast was going up, and it didn’t have any planning permission. The phone company claimed it was an emergency and used some special powers to set it up wherever they wanted. Before this, the equipment was on the roof of Ashton Gate Stadium, but the stadium folks wanted it gone.
So, the company decided to plop it down behind a B&M store, right next to people’s homes. Imagine waking up to a giant phone mast just a few feet away! Naturally, the locals wanted it gone ASAP. They complained that it blocked their views and made a racket 24/7.
This kicked off a long battle between the residents, the council, and the phone company. The mast was only supposed to be up for 18 months, but it stuck around much longer. They even tried to find a new spot for it on a nearby council tower block, but the phone company kept pushing to keep it where it was.
They first asked for permanent planning permission after the fact, but that got shot down. Then they appealed, and when the council started enforcement to take it down, they appealed again. Even a planning inspector agreed it shouldn’t stay. That was last October, and the company was given until mid-December to remove it, but they didn’t budge, even after switching it off.
Finally, this weekend, residents saw some workmen starting to dismantle the mast. One local was thrilled, calling it ‘good news’ and saying the company had really taken advantage of the emergency rules. It’s about time, right?
