Neighbours of the former Honda factory are worried about the prospect of living in the shadow of a huge 5G mast.

A 15m tall telecoms tower is planned close to the gardens of homeowners who are already concerned about new site owner Panattoni's redevelopment of the South Marston site.

Mobile phone provider CK Hutchison Networks (UK) Ltd has put in an application to Swindon Borough Council asking for prior approval to put up a 5G mast on the eastern edge of the site, where it is bound by Highworth Road running though the village.

Hutchison says the tower is needed to allow people modern high-speed internet and phone signals and this is the only place the mast can go.

It says: “As with all 5G cells this is an extremely constrained cell search area. Options are extremely limited and the only viable solution that minimises amenity issues has been put forward.

“The height of the pole has been kept down to the absolute minimum capable of providing the required essential new 5G coverage. The site has been selected on a wide adopted area of the highway in a position that will not impede pedestrian flow or the safety of passing motorists.”

But people who might be living near the mast are not happy.

Sue Floyd said: “This is not a small tower. If it’s anything like the one that’s just gone up at Greenbridge Roundabout, then they are really big and have all the cabinet for all the equipment at the bottom.

“The thing that people here are worried about is that for 30 years we have lived next to the Honda site, but all the activity was over on the side of the A361. Now there are plans like this telephone tower and the plans for the new buildings which are right up to the edge of the site and the ends of our gardens in Greenfields and along Highworth Road.
“We are worried about the impact all this is going to have on the people who live here, and we seem not to be being considered in all these plans.”

South Marston Parish Council is also concerned.

In response to the application, it said: “The claim that trees and shrubs will help screen the installation seems unlikely, especially to passing traffic or pedestrians. It will be somewhat obtrusive and not in fitting with the rural village setting that the community tries to maintain. 

“It is also acknowledged that improvements to infrastructure are essential to enhance mobile network connectivity, especially in areas like South Marston where obtaining reliable signals has been problematic. We would like the applicant to provide evidence that other less obtrusive locations for this installation were considered and that this site was chosen because it is technically the most suitable.”

No decision on the application has been made.