MOBILE phones are an important technical breakthrough in the Dales with more and more people relying on them.

This fact was stated by Carl Lis as members of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority's planning committee considered a report on the development of mobile phone networks within the Park.

"I am totally supportive of mobile phones but I cannot believe we have not put pressure on these enormous companies for a more detailed map of the area," he said.

He referred to the report which said phone companies, when first approaching a planning authority, had never provided plans of their proposed network. When asked for this sort of information the operators' response was that they had no plans for the area as a whole but were seeking to extend their network on a more piecemeal basis.

However, installing the necessary masts was something which the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority took very seriously, and site sharing seemed the obvious answer.

Members heard that the majority of planning applications involved mast sharing but the companies involved were reluctant to share the necessary buildings for ancillary equipment. This could result in a serious clutter problem at the base of each mast.

Members also felt that the condition imposed on applications that the situation be reviewed every 10 years was too long and suggested instead a five yearly review. This would allow for any new technology which came along.

Peter Walbank gave such an instance. "I read a report that a microchip has been recently developed which will take the place of these masts. It would mean a simplified system which has been described as a world beater."

Members agreed that this type of technology could still be quite a way down the line. As it is at the moment smaller installations are being proposed, some being on the scale of an urban lamppost.

The only drawback is that these provide a smaller area of coverage but officers felt the landscape in the Dales could accommodate a number of these smaller structures without them being too obtrusive.

The park anticipated more proposals for network development in the future as customer demands will push the operators to fill in the remaining gaps in those parts of the Dales which still cannot receive a signal.

Later in the meeting, members confirmed their approval of an application to install antenna and equipment cabins for Cellnet and Vodaphone at NTL transmitter station, Brunton Lane, Austwick.

This was against the officers' recommendation, and members gave their reasons for approval as being economic and social benefits, mast sharing and small landscape impact. The equipment would serve a four kilometre stretch of the A65.

The situation will be reviewed every five years, and other conditions include a landscaping scheme and the removal of equipment when no longer needed.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.