A bulk amount of planning applications have been submitted to Southend Council in Essex, for the installation of 27 new masts.
The application for these 36-foot masts were initially being sold as an infrastructure to monitor bins and street lighting.
That information has since been updated, and it’s now been revealed that:
“The masts will connect to a range of devices, including mobile phones, and a new “Internet of Things” system that monitors street lights and parking management.
Whatever the “official” reason behind these applications, for a number of years, Southend council have been very clear on their intentions to be one of the first Smart Cities in the UK. The council has openly admitted their goals to become a Smart City by 2050, one can only assume these masts would play a pivotal role in achieving that.
Residents have a variety of concerns regarding these masts and have only a matter of days to make any objections known. The majority of these masts are planned for an area called Westcliff-on-Sea, which is mostly a residential area and is home to a number of schools.
You Can Help
On the map above, we’ve pinpointed where the new masts are being proposed (the grey icons).
There’s been no consultation with the local residents regarding this bulk application of masts. The residents are facing an uphill battle to save this historic seaside town from being saturated in masts.
If you feel these masts are something you’d like to object to, please click on the PlanningURL for each of the grey pins shown on the map and comment on the application. Make sure to select “Objection” as the reason for the comment. Full details on the process can be found in the document below.
You don’t have to be a local resident to object. 50 objections are needed for each mast!!!
Mast Objection Guide
Below is a handy guide created by one of the Southend residents, explaining how to search for and object to the masts in question.
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