Original article ISPreview UK:Read More
Residents in the two Essex (England) villages of Langham and Dedham, which are both home to around 3,000 people, have been left to suffer from poor to non-existent mobile connectivity after a local mobile mast at Gun Hill (Ipswich Road) was removed last month without the local authority approving a replacement site.
The situation, which reminds us of the recent and quite protracted problems in the Welsh village of Tenby (here and here), began after British gas supplier Cadent Gas requested that the old mast be removed because it was near to an underground gas main.
Civil engineering firm M Group Telecom then promptly applied for a new 20m high monopole mast site in July 2025, which would be located nearby to the old site. But this was quickly rejected by Colchester City Council (CCC) due to concerns over its visual impact on the “scenic quality of the Dedham Vale National Landscape“.
A Council spokesperson said:
“We want to be clear that we are supportive of improved digital connectivity in our communities. We would welcome discussions with operators to explore alternative solutions or revised proposals that meet coverage needs while respecting the area’s special landscape qualities.”
According to the BBC News, the situation has prompted complaints from residents, many of whom are now struggling to connect via a viable mobile signal. As one of those residents, Gillian Flack (from Langham), said: “This isn’t about convenience any more, it’s about safety, local businesses struggling to operate – and elderly residents feeling like they’re being cut off.”
Mobile operators would no doubt point to this as being another example of how local authorities and companies often fail to take a joined-up approach to such situations. The reality for locals is that, even once a suitable site is finally found and approved (a process that can take months), it will often then take several further months before a new mast can actually be installed due to all the extra work and planning required.