A planned upgrade of the existing telecommunications site on the roof of the Skiddaw Hotel in Keswick would have a “neutral impact” on the town’s conservation area, a Lake District National Park Authority planning officer has ruled.
Planning documents said the purpose of the upgrade was to facilitate the provision of “essential” new 5G coverage and improved 2G/3G and 4G service provision. It incorporates three new antennae attached to the high-level plant room where existing antennae are located at the rear of the four-storey building in Main Street.
The work also involves the provision of radio equipment housing at a high level within the roof slopes which will be wall mounted next to existing air conditioning units and the installation of other cabling and associated development.
In approving the development the planning officer was satisfied that it is acceptable in terms of its impact on the character and appearance of the area.
The planning officer stated that the location of the proposals on the plant room at the rear will mean that they are hidden in views from the Market Place due to the height of the hotel building which has a Mansard style roof sloping from the front to the rear.
“A glimpse of the installation may be possible from the view up to Market Place from the corner of Bank Street although I consider that any awareness would be lost in the overall street scene with the Moot Hall as the main focus,” said the planning officer’s report. “The proposals would not be visible from the upper parts of the Market Square due to the presence of much higher buildings on the west side of the street.
“The most visible aspect would be from Heads Road and the public car park and pedestrian thoroughfares to the west of the Skiddaw Hotel. These are very busy parts of the town centre and passers-by will be able to view the proposals from various points and be aware of their impact on the historic roofscape of the town. However, these views are broken up by existing trees on the edge of the car park especially when the trees are in leaf.”
