Firm’s mast is branded vandalism (From This Is Wiltshire)

Firm’s mast is branded vandalism

1:30pm Friday 20th March 2009 in

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NETWORK Rail has been blasted by councillors for putting up a 15m telecommunications mast overlooking a country park in west Wiltshire, in what has been described as an act of ‘environmental vandalism’.

The steel structure, which stands on the embankment overlooking Barton Farm Country Park in Bradford on Avon, was put up last week, much to the surprise of the town council and local environmental groups, who were not informed about the plans.

Godfrey Marks, a member of the Preservation Trust, which is leading the campaign to have the mast moved, said: “I think everyone is outraged with the location of the new communication mast.

“It’s quite enormous. Anyone coming down Barton Orchard and coming through the trees will see it; it’s smack in your face.”

The rail firm, who are exempt from planning regulations when building on their own land and so did not have to hold public consultations, have defended the position of the mast, arguing that careful considerations were made before putting up the structure.

Mavis Choong, of Network Rail, said they had notified the local authority and community beforehand.

She said: “This site is chosen because it is furthest away from residential properties and trees in the area also provide some screening.

“The railway communications system will enable an upgrade of the radio system. This new radio system will, for the very first time, allow direct and continuous communication between train drivers and signallers, which will improve safety, reliability and punctuality on the rail network.”

Despite this, councillors speaking at the planning and town development committee meeting on Tuesday voted unanimously to write asking for it to be moved.

Deputy mayor Cllr Simon Fisher said: “This is nothing less then an environmental piece of vandalism. We have to get this thing moved because it is such an eyesore in an inappropriate place.”

Cllr Gwen Allison said: “They don’t have to have planning permission but they could have written to us to let us know.”

Cllr Isabel Martindale said: “It is such a massive construction in a very inappropriate place that is open to visitors and residents alike and just seems totally out of place. It needs to go somewhere, it is just a case of finding somewhere else.”

The mast is on the side of the railway line within the local conservation area and in the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Cllr Vicky Landell-Mills congratulated Mr Marks on his two-page report which looked at the mast, its purpose and his conversations with the rail firm.