Telecommunication Site 62370 St Botolphs Street, Colchester, CO2 7DU

Installation of 1no new 4.1m high brick-effect GRP shroud to house 3no new replacement antennas, removal of 3no existing antennas and associated ancillary works thereto

Authority: Colchester Borough Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: telecoms · Minor retail and services
Inspector: Fleming L

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area bearing in mind it would be attached to the locally listed 6-8 St Botolph's Road, within the Colchester Conservation Area No 1 and within the settings of the scheduled monument and grade I listed Ruins of Priory Church of St Botolph's and the grade II listed St Botolph's Church

What decided it

The harm to heritage assets and character of the conservation area caused by the incongruous scale, form and appearance of the modern shroud outweighed the telecommunications benefits of the proposal.

Framework references: 208, 118, 121

Plan policies cited: Policy SP7 of the North Essex Authorities Shared Strategic Section 1 Plan (2021), Policy DM15 of the Colchester Borough Local Plan 2017-2033 Section 2 (2022)

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

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