Vodafone’s proposed mast, to potentially be erected at The Knap in Barry, has split opinion in the residential area surrounding the suggested site. While some residents are hoping for an improvement in mobile phone signal, others are concerned that the location of the proposed mast will ‘deface a beautiful spot’ thus encroaching on the views from properties on The Knap.
Vodafone are working with other providers in their bid to reach maximum coverage in the Vale of Glamorgan by the end of this year, which would include a minimum of 3G signal in current white spots such as The Knap in Barry. The proposed mast would be situated in front of the Bridge Café which is within a conservation area and only stone’s throw from The Knap’s Green Flag park. At 14 metres high, the mast would be 3 metres shorter than the UK’s average mast height, and 13 metres shorter than Europe’s average mast height.
Vale MP Alun Cairns met with Graham Dunn of Vodafone on Friday 1 September, to discuss the suggested site for the mast, and the concerns which constituents have raised with the MP regarding the blotting of the landscape. During the meeting, Mr Dunn informed Mr Cairns that a large proportion of installations are planned according to customers’ demands, and that Vodafone has received numerous complaints concerning the absence of sufficient mobile signal at The Knap, hence the provider’s efforts to erect a mast in order to rectify the issue.
Mr Cairns said, “I was grateful to meet with Mr Dunn in order that I could explain residents’ points of objection directly to a Vodafone representative. Whilst I understand that Vodafone wants to reach maximum coverage as soon as possible, the installation of a mast has to be in the right place. No location will be perfect, however I believe that residents’ concerns have to be considered as well, not just the engineering benefits of a site.”