[UPDATE: For a subsequent further consultation, please view this post.]
The government has published the following response to the consultation titled "Proposed reforms to permitted development rights to support the deployment of 5G and extend mobile coverage" (which ran for (approx) 10 weeks from 27/08/2019 until 04/11/2019):
- July 2020: Government response to the consultation on proposed reforms to permitted development rights to support the deployment of 5G and extend mobile coverage (pdf) (link).
Notes:
- The "Executive Summary" at the start of the above response document includes the following information:
- "As mobile network operators have now started rolling out 5G in the UK, it is timely to consider whether there are further reforms needed to ensure that the planning system continues to support the deployment of mobile infrastructure. That is why on 27 August 2019 the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport published a joint consultation on in-principle proposed reforms to permitted development rights in England. The consultation ran for 10 weeks, closing on 4 November 2019.".
- "Having considered the responses to the consultation, we are satisfied that there is evidence to demonstrate that the proposed reforms would have a positive impact on the government’s ambitions for the deployment of 5G and extending mobile coverage. In taking forward these proposals in England, we will ensure that the appropriate environmental protections and other safeguards are in place to mitigate the impact of new mobile infrastructure. These would also address the concerns which have been raised in response to the in-principle consultation, relating to potential impacts on local amenity, protected land including designated landscapes such as National Parks, and aerodrome safeguarding.".
- "Therefore, subject to a technical consultation on the detail of the proposals, including the appropriate environmental protections and other safeguards mentioned above, the government intends to take forward the in-principle proposals consulted on to enable in England:
>>> deployment of taller and wider masts;
>>> building-based masts located nearer to highways; and
>>> faster deployment of radio equipment housing, such as equipment cabinets.".
- "Making these changes requires amendments to Part 16 of Schedule 2 to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended) (‘the General Permitted Development Order’) through secondary legislation. We will undertake a technical consultation on the detail of the proposals, including appropriate environmental protections and other safeguards, prior to amending the existing legislation.".
Other sources of information: