New 5G equipment planned for Halifax town centre

Cellnex UK Limited has put in a planning application to Calderdale Council seeking the relevant permission to replace antennas, support poles, cabinets and ancillary works to the roof of the building at Halifax Telephone Exchange, which is situated off Commercial Street.

The applicant says: “The application is in respect of a 5G electronic communications base station necessary to improve a vital network that provides public services.

“The service provided by the operator is in the public interest and is in very high demand, with 5G being the next and highly significant advancement in mobile connectivity.

“In the UK, mobile services now exceed fixed landlines in terms of customer numbers and usage.

“The public interest of the system is clear from the considerable benefits that will flow.”

Operating requirements with a 5G cellular system impose particular locational and siting requirements, say the papers.

Since the application site is near to seven listed buildings and the Halifax Town Centre Conservation Area, this has been a key consideration treated with high concern.

But due to the moderate upgrades proposed, this will have an almost non-existent visual impact upon the surrounding area, argues the documents.

The proposed antennas will comply with all relevant health and safety requirements and will be compliant with the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection guidelines.

There are no exceptional circumstances in this case and therefore no need to consider health effects and related concerns such as the perception of risk further, argues the applicant.

The full application, number 23/01290/FUL, can be viewed on the council’s planning portal.