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15-meter Monopole FOR Sure (IOM) Ltd AT Sure Site 13 Colby FC Colby Isle of Man Planning Application Supporting Statement DATE: 10 November 2022 PREPARED BY: Steven L Allan Sure IOM Ltd Sure IOM REF: IOM_13 Colby FC
In 2006/7 Sure Isle of Man Limited (Sure) was awarded an Isle of Man (IOM) Mobile Operators Licence, issued by the island’s Communications Commission, to provide a mobile phone network and services to the island’s inhabitants and visitors. This service competes with the incumbent operator (Manx Telecom) and allows greater choice and competition for consumers and businesses.
The mobile phone network consists of a number of sites that house various pieces of equipment to provide coverage in the vicinity, such as panel antennae, and also transmission dishes that link sites together. Combined with other sites they are designed to provide an extensive, continuous network.
Sure will endeavour, whenever possible, to install its equipment on existing infrastructure or radio transmitters. The aim is always to minimise the visual impact of providing mobile phone network infrastructure.
Where this is not possible, and it is necessary to introduce additional telecommunications infrastructure, this supporting statement will justify why the infrastructure is required and demonstrate that the best possible design available for the site has been identified, keeping visual impact and amenity a priority at all times.
It will also help to explain the decisions which led to the specific location being chosen and will outline which alternatives were considered and discounted.
A variety of supporting information may be included with each application but ultimately Sure’s aim is to minimise the number of new structures and reduce the visual impact of the network, whilst providing sufficient signal strength to provide coverage for customers to take advantage of a range of Sure’s services.
For the avoidance of doubt: a cell site, as referred to in this document, is a combination of equipment including cabinets, antennae and structures, required to facilitate the operation of a mobile phone cell.
The proposed development will consist of a 15-meter monopole, 2 x cabinets, 1.8 m H x 0.7 m W x 0.75 m D (cabinet sizes are indicative), surrounded by a 1.25 m wooden fence in the Northeast corner of the Colby FC car park. The proposed new mast will support up 3 x GSM/3G/LTE antenna plus next generation antenna equipment, up to 3 Line of site dishes and mast mounted Remote radio units (needed to support high orders of MIMO*).
*MIMO, Multiple In Multiple Out, this is a protocol required for higher speeds and high capacity 4G/LTE
The current structures are incapable of supporting newer equipment required to support the next generation of 4G network technologies. They are also incapable of support some current technologies, 2G, which will be prominent in future networks to support legacy voice services. 2G is not currently available at Colby due to the large size of the antenna required to support it.
The proposed development site is in the Northeast corner of the existing Colby FC car park. The site currently has a Club house, 3 x grass football pitches, an all-weather pitch, surrounded by a 4 m chain-link fence and 6 x 15-meter floodlighting towers. The Club grounds currently support a Sure Mobile site, with antenna mounted on 2 existing floodlight towers to the west of the allweather pitch. This application proposes a new 15m Monopole be erected approximately 70 metres to the northeast of the clubhouse, adjacent to the railway lines.
The proposed Development is an upgrade of our existing Site, as the existing one can no longer support the demands of the local community in Colby. The physical structure of the existing flood light towers is not capable of supporting next generation antenna. The failure to develop this mast will result in its removal this will servery impact the ability of Sure to support next generation technologies development in the South.
Pre-application consultation A meeting with Jason Singleton, to discuss a number of expected planning submissions by sure on the 7th September 2023
Planning History A number of planning applications have been submitted to: 12/01214/B original Sure planning application for Existing Mobile Phone site 17/00542/D, 14/00036/C, 13/00079/D, 11/01781/B, 10/00917/B, 10/01871/B, 09/00340/B, 18/00804/C These are all associated with the build and operation of the Football club.
The current Sure mobile site at Colby FC is a high band only site. This is due to the size limitation imposed on the antenna by being mounted on existing 15m flood light towers. Smaller, High band antenna had to be used, to physically fit on the existing poles. Higher Frequency’s require a smaller antenna than low Frequency’s, meaning that antenna capable of operating low band services are significantly larger than the High band only antennas currently in use.
This limits the existing site to 1800 MHz 4G for data and 2100 MHz 3G for voice. 3G will be not be operational in the next iteration of the network. So no legacy voice servers will be available in Colby unless the tower is upgraded, to support larger low band antenna, operating in the lower 2G sectrum (900MHz 2G). An additional benefit of low band operation is that 700 MHz, 800 MHz and 900 MHz 4G can also be offered. 4G at these frequencies operates effectively at a greater distance from the site, it also provides better indoor propagation. This alone will provide a significant improvement in services to the Colby area. Add to this MIMO, which will again be provided by the proposed new lager antenna and the residents of Colby will be able to access a significantly improved service.
The proposed new mast will have significant advantages over the current mast. The Proposed antenna will be mounted higher on the structure this will be a significant improvement and will lead to better user experience in this area. The proposed mast has the structural strength to support twice the number of antennae, over the existing mast, allowing more antenna to be added, therefor increasing the capacity of the site (combined with the addition of more electronics in the existing equipment cabin). The proposed mast will also have the capacity to support Next generation network development. Conversely, failure to develop this mast would cause Sure to abandon this site, as it would be incapable of supporting the next iteration of the mobile phone network. This would cause a significant reduction in mobile services available in the Colby area.
The Isle of Man Government recently launched its Digital Inclusion Strategy 2016-2021.It recognises the importance of online access and brings together partners in the public, private and voluntary sectors to help people get online. It’s part of the Government’s Digital Strategy, which aims to bring more services online and help more people to access them.
The strategy notes the benefits of helping more people to get online including access to training and jobs, social and leisure activities and how it can help to address wider social issues and support economic growth.
Good connectivity is vital to support this strategy and ensuring that areas of the island, such as a Colby, have high-capacity reliable mobile services to access the latest in technology is therefore key.
As can be seen from the below coverage maps the predicted impact of the proposed development will result in a significant improvement of the network coverage in the Colby area.
Existing coverage map
Predicted coverage with Proposed mast improvement
As this is an existing site it is considered the best option for this area, therefore the proposed solution outlined in this application, is considered only feasible solution for this area.
This site has been designed in accordance with the current mainland UK Cellular operator’s guidance for both Occupational and Public ICNIRP compliance. Our design team is satisfied that this site design complies with the above guidelines and therefore a signed ICNIRP certificate is enclosed with this application.
1) Isle of Man Government Statutory Boards, Offices & Agencies Plans 2006-2009. Volume
“We will enforce universal service obligations by telecoms operators with significant market power. They must provide telephone services throughout the Island,”
2) Isle of Man Government Statutory Boards< Offices & Agencies Plans 2005-2008. Volume 3 Page 20, under Communications Commission Aims & Objectives Section. Objective; The built environment - to reduce the visual impact of telecommunications and radio infrastructure on the island’s landscape.
“We will encourage increased mast sharing by broadcasters, under the Radio Masts Regulation Act Limitations”.
3) The Town and Country Planning Act 1999.
Page 101: “A balance must be struck between the need for new, evolving communications systems to satisfy residential and business demand and the impact that the necessary infrastructure will have upon the environment. Measures which may help to achieve a satisfactory balance will include a presumption against visually intrusive masts in sensitive landscapes, the encouragement of mast sharing by different operators, and the removal of redundant infrastructure. Exceptions to this policy would need to demonstrate a strategic national need, which cannot be otherwise secured by mast sharing or alternative locations.”
4) Isle of Man Government Digital Strategy and Digital Inclusion Strategy
Sure IOM Ltd believes the proposed installation complies with the island’s policies and strategies above.
To summarise, we consider that this application suggests the optimum location and design for the proposed site.
The current mobile Site is in the optimal position to provide coverage to Colby, alternative sites would not provide sufficient benefit to justify its development.
The location and appearance have been carefully considered to best utilise the existing vegetation to minimise visual impact. The use of a Green painted mast will help minimise the impact on the visual amenity of the area.
Therefore, the design proposed represents both the optimum planning, environmental and technical solutions in this instance. As such, we believe the development as proposed is in accordance with planning guidance as defined above.
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