The battle to maximise every square foot of forecourt space has reached new heights, with MFG getting the go-ahead from local authorities to host a 20-metre mobile phone mast at one of its sites.
Rising 20 metres above the ground to one side of the site, the mast will be surrounded by three telecommunication-equipment cabinets and be fitted with nine antennas and two transmission dishes, while the installation will facilitate 2G (GSM), 4G and 5G signals.
East Suffolk Council initially raised objections to the plans as the site is 25 metres away from Grade II Listed buildings, and Freshwave, which is managing the project on behalf of EE, had to submit a ‘prior notification’ to the authority.
That notification was subsequently submitted, detailing that Freshwave had considered 23 alternative locations in the area for the mast, but rejected them for various reasons including sites being in conservation areas, being too exposed, or not well placed for the transmission of signals.
The local authority approved the prior notification submission and determined that planning permission was not required, with the project able to go ahead under ‘permitted development’ rules.
Fellow Top 50 Indie Rontec told Forecourt Trader in an exclusive interview earlier this year that it had idenitified hosting telephone masts for mobile phone networks as a new revenue stream for its petrol stations.
