Dear Valued Supporters,
Thank you for your continued commitment to our campaign regarding the telecommunications mast (Ref: 24/00689/TGDO) adjacent to Sketchley Hill Primary School. We have some important developments to share.
Response from our MP, Luke Evans:
We recently received a response from Luke Evans MP regarding our concerns.
He acknowledged our communication and stated that while he has no direct role in planning decisions or the power to overturn them, he has taken action.
Initially, he wrote to Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council to ask them to review the application in light of the concerns raised.
Crucially, following our recent update to him with new evidence (more on this below), Mr. Evans has now written to Cornerstone (the mast operator) to outline the concerns raised by our local community and has asked them to halt the activation of the mast pending a review of their handling of this case. We are currently awaiting Cornerstone's response, and Mr. Evans has promised to keep us informed.
The Council's Position (as relayed by the MP):
Luke Evans' letter also included a detailed explanation from Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council ("Chris") reiterating their position. In summary, the Council maintains:
The prior approval granted cannot be amended, and they have no say in the mast's activation.
The application was a "notification for prior approval" with limited scope for consideration and more limited public consultation requirements than full planning permission.
They believe the consultation undertaken (site notice, website listing, letters to some neighbours including the school) was "adequately undertaken" and met all relevant legislation, despite the timing during school holidays being "not preferable."
They state they had no power to alter or extend the consultation period due to the strict 56-day timeframe for these applications.
They assert the officer report was thorough, referenced comments received (including from the school and "no objection" from Burbage Parish Council), and concluded the proposal met permitted development legislation.
Critical New Evidence Unearthed & Submitted to Council!
Since our initial Stage 2 complaint was conceptualised, we have obtained Cornerstone's own "Industry Site Specific Supplementary Information" report for this mast. This document has revealed some very significant information, which has now been submitted as a further substantial addition to our Stage 2 complaint with Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council.
The key points from Cornerstone's own report include:
Burbage Parish Council OBJECTION: Contrary to what the Borough Council stated (that the Parish Council had "no objection"), Cornerstone's report clearly documents: "The Parish council comments- object to the proposal due to concerns about the proximity of the proposed mast to a primary school and also the lack of any off-street parking provision for service vehicles." This is a major discrepancy that questions the accuracy of the information used by the Borough Council.
Sketchley Hill Primary School's Specific Pre-Application Concerns: The report details that the school raised very specific issues before the application was even submitted, including the narrowness and congestion of the adjacent path, the use of the grass verge (where the mast is sited) by pedestrians, and a direct request for the mast to be relocated or the path widened. Cornerstone's response was dismissive, and they noted "no further comments" were received from the school, suggesting no meaningful dialogue occurred to address these critical safety and operational issues.
Consultation with Menphys Nursery: The report also confirms Menphys Nursery was consulted by the applicant pre-submission. We are asking the Council what input was received and how it was considered.
This new evidence strongly suggests that key objections may have been misrepresented or overlooked, and that specific, practical concerns from our primary school about the direct impact of the mast's siting were not adequately addressed by the applicant or subsequently by the Council.
What This Means & Next Steps:
This new information significantly strengthens our challenge. We are arguing that the prior approval decision was based on flawed and incomplete information and that the consultation process was not adequate for such a highly sensitive location, especially given the direct impact on our school's new outdoor classroom and Forest School (within 10m of the mast), the adjacent TPO-protected trees, and the potential negative effect on school admissions.
Our Stage 2 Complaint with Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council, now supplemented with this new evidence, will be reviewed by Rebecca Owen, Democratic Services Manager.
We await the outcome of Luke Evans MP's communication with Cornerstone regarding halting activation.
We continue to push for an urgent meeting with all relevant parties.
This fight is far from over. Your support is more crucial than ever. Please continue to share the petition, talk to your neighbours, and stay engaged.