Frome Town Council has heard that there have been "quite a few" objections to plans to install a new 5G tower in the town.

An application is in to build a 20 metre monopole, two and a half metres higher than the existing pole, 12 antenna, and three equipment cabinets at the junction of Manor Road and Grove Lane.

The planning meeting heard how Public Health England has advised there was little or no increase in exposure to radio waves, should the extension go ahead, and as such there should be no consequences in terms of any negative impact to public health

However in 2019 FTC formally stated that its position that unless it was presented with clear significant evidence of no adverse impact on public health, they would not endorse the roll out of 5G.

One public objection on the Mendip Planning site stated : " Strongly object to the 5G towers .... especially near any public spaces where children gather, food is being grown or prepared or really near any human. This technology has been brought in without the proper testing when we already know the dangers of electromagnetic frequencies and microwave technology. We need LESS of this technology not MORE. "

Details of the application are on the Mendip planning site under reference 2021/1952/FUL.

Cllr Rich Ackroyd said: " I think times have changed, its (5G) has already been rolled out across the country. " He went on to recommended that the statement opposing 5G should be referred back to full council.

Cllr John Nelson said there was a danger that councillors were simply kicking any decision " Into the long grass. We need facts and the fact is there is no evidence that 5G is dangerous. We are going nowhere here. We make a decision about trees and people wanting to trim their trees... a discussion will be never ending. "

The council discussed supporting, while as a planning committee, that it didn't have a problem with this particular application, but that it could not support the application (because of the stated wider council policy towards 5G).

As a planning committee they were told they should not go against council policy, which formally objects to the roll out of 5G.

Other items that the Frome Town Council planning meeting discussed included:

Under reference 2021/1911/HSE at 43A Lower Keyford an application to build a single storey house rear extension, a new porch and new windows.

Under application 2021/2175/HSE at 35 Butts Hill in Frome, an application to build a single storey rear extension

And under 2021/2067/HSE an application to demolish a rear conservatory and rear lean-to at Herne Oak on Berkley Road in Frome.

They also had on the planning committee agenda, a self build at 34 Rodden Road in Frome which is the address next door to the shop on the junction. Details of that under 2021/2194/FUL.

An application to build a single storey building to provide additional accommodation at 1 West End in Frome, that is under 2021/2219/HSE .

And Pegasus Planning Group has applied for work at the former Car Phone Warehouse site in Wessex Fields in Frome. They want to reconfigure the car park and provide outdoor seating in order to put in a Greggs. Details of that application on the Mendip Planning site 2021/2144/FUL.