English Planning Policy and Practice - Schools
Schools
Where a mast is proposed to be installed on or near a school or college PPG8 and the Code of Best Practice state that it is important that operators discuss the proposed development with the relevant body of the school or college concerned before submitting an application for planning permission or prior approval to the local planning authority. The Code of Best Practice (Paragraphs 54 – 61 inclusive) provides guidance on determining which schools and colleges should be consulted. The Code of Best Practice is also clear in advising that where school or college playing fields are separate from the institutions themselves the guidelines should be applied to the playing fields separately. The Code of Best Practice provides guidance of factors that should be taken into consideration when developing a consultation plan for a site on or close to a school or college.
Mobile phone network development: Code of Best Practice - Communities and Local Government site
Planning Policy Guidance 8 - Communities and Local Government website
Ten Commitments
Central to the operators’ approach to network development is consultation with local communities, planning officers and other stakeholders on any proposed new developments. Pre-application consultation is included in the operators’ ‘Ten Commitments to Best Siting Practice’, which has existed since 2001 to help address concerns relating to the development of base stations, and which is now contained in planning guidance throughout the UK.
Sharing Sites
Mobile phone users in the UK increasingly want better coverage and greater capacity so they can access more services on their phones. While this means that new base stations will still be needed, network operators seek to share sites wherever possible. Site sharing helps reduce energy consumption and the overall environmental footprint of networks, as well as improving the quality of coverage.