4G Scotland. Masts will despoil Highland wilderness, say locals

Their installation, the community groups estimated, could also lead to the wasting of “up to £500 million of taxpayers’ money.”

The letter, written by Torridon Mast Action Group and the Torridon and Kinlochewe Community Council, also expressed concern that this will “in turn" harm the economy.”

Chair of the Torridon and Kinlochewe Community Council, Caroline Hamilton said: "Often they are being planned in areas that appear to be useless to the community -- up remote glens, up the tops of mountains - and this is in some of the most iconic and beautiful parts of the Highlands, ruining the very reason that people choose to live in and visit the area."

READ MORE: 4G Scotland: NTS and John Muir Trust oppose mast expansion

"It's also not just the masts. It's the infrastructure that goes with them, the tracks, the fact that they're going to service them by helicopter - and it's all because of the government's  95% geographic target."

"In our area alone which has a population of about 350 people, in small clusters in villages, we know of 16 masts that we're getting. I've no doubt one or two will be useful.  But the rest of them are in these completely remote areas where only deer and eagles live."

Remote Torridon area where masts could be installed (Image: Rob Bruce)

Across Wester Ross, the letter noted, there have been "over 30 pre-planning notifications by Virgin Media O2 to put telecoms masts in some of our most stunning wilderness areas”.

The letter was signed by five other community councils, the John Muir Trust, Mountaineering Scotland, Ramblers Scotland, National Trust for Scotland, the mountaineer Cameron McNeish and the author Robert Macfarlane.

It expressed “wholehearted” support for the “aim of improving broadband for communities and businesses in rural areas” However, it noted that “what is proposed will not deliver this”.

“Many rural communities and businesses require better broadband,” the community coalition said. “However, this poorly thought out connectivity strategy risks putting masts in all the wrong places and benefitting no one.”

Among the planning objections that triggered the letter was one for a 25-metre mast is Coire Mhic Nobuil, which lies in the designated National Scenic Area, and is surrounded by four mountains over 900m – Beinn Alligin, Beinn Dearg, Beinn Eighe and Liathach – and is 3.8km from the road. The application received over 90 planning objections. 

“There is no track access, " the letter said, "only a walkers’ footpath. We are pleased to see this application has been withdrawn, however we have already heard that the developers have signaled their intention to re-submit it.”

The masts are elements of the proposed Shared Rural Network (SRN) which is a UK Government initiative supported by the mobile network operators. It aims to provide 4G coverage to 95% of the geography (rather than population) of the UK.

Expected benefits are said to include economic and productivity growth, as well as wider societal benefits such as consumer choice and healthcare. The Shared Rural Network programme is a step change in connectivity - delivering coverage wherever people may travel across the UK.

READ MORE: Shetland: 4G mast means gran can Christmas shop online for first time

However, in the remote Scottish Highlands, the communities point out, “this means installing hundreds of masts in places where nobody lives and wasting up to £500 million of taxpayers’ money.”

“Rather than pushing for 95% 4G coverage by population (which would make sense)," said the letter, "the Government is going for 95% geographical coverage, and for the elimination of ‘not-spots’ (areas of no connectivity) or partial ‘not-spots’ (where only one operator is present). But the reason we have these not-spots is that the North West Highlands has hundreds of square miles of complete wilderness.”

There are also fears that the construction process will “turn walker’s footpaths into ugly tracks” and that the diesel generators and other infrastructure needed for them to function “will ruin some the Highland’s most spectacular views” and endanger rare wildlife and plants.

“If the intention is to provide emergency coverage for walkers,” the letter said, “we note the technology will be obsolete very soon – new iPhones for example, automatically divert to satellite if there is no mobile signal."

The signatories are calling for “a proper dialogue with communities to establish the needs of residents and businesses before the masts are instigated” and for this to “ include an analysis of what each mast is for and who (if anyone) will benefit.”

They also demand that there be “a thorough cost-benefit analysis for every mast proposed, including assessment of the damage to the environment and tourism in line with normal good practice.”

The Minister for Media, Data and Digital Infrastructure has received the letter and her office has stated she will respond in due course. A spokesperson for the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology, said: "The UK government has a responsibility to ensure all parts of the country are able to benefit from the opportunities provided by digital connectivity. The Shared Rural Network has geographic targets to address this, focusing on the most rural parts of the country.

“Local planning authorities are responsible for approving applications which form part of this programme. The mobile network operators continue to work closely with them and local communities to ensure new masts go through the proper planning process and are considerate of areas of natural beauty.”