Agenda item

Report of the Director of the Built Environment

The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment seeking to address Members’ requests for further information and recommending that a trial replacing ten of the columns be undertaken.

The City Surveyor advised Members that this was critical to supporting the City’s wireless system and implementing 5G technology soon after it was available. Whilst the footprints of the columns were double the size of existing columns, Highways officers did not think this would have a significant impact. The locations for an initial ten columns had been approved by relevant officers and had undergone an Equality Analysis. The Public Realm team would be updated, and a written protocol had been approved.

A Member responded that they supported the recommendations, but asked that the columns be placed as close to the kerb or as close to the building as possible to give the pavement as much width as possible. The Director of the Built Environment said that the placement would be rationalised where they could, but were often dependent on basements and needed to be out of the way of parked vehicles. A report could be brought back after the installation of the initial ten columns, before further delegation was sought. A Member requested that any improvements possible to the placement of columns be made.

RESOLVED – That the Streets & Walkways Sub-Committee:

a)    Grant approval to replace 3 metre columns with taller 8 metre columns, in ten locations (shown in Appendix 2); and

b)    That, subject to Members being content with a), delegated authority to be granted to the Town Clerk and Chairman and Deputy Chairman to approve the further replacement of 3 metre columns with 8 metre columns in 150 locations to facilitate the housing of 4G and 5G small cell equipment to improve mobile coverage across the Square Mile.