PLANNING permission for a 5G mast near Pokesdown station has been granted.

BCP Council approved Vodafone’s application to erect the 17.5m mast on the corner of Seabourne Road and Christchurch Road.

It said the provision of 5G in the area “would be in the public interest” and that outweighed impact of the “taller and bulkier” equipment.

The mast will be installed to replace the previous 15m mast with Vodafone saying it would facilitate “new superfast mobile overage” in the area.

It said there was a “specific requirement” to upgrade the mast “in order to provide improved network coverage to this area of Bournemouth”.

In a pre-emptive bid to overcome opposition on health grounds, it submitted a report by the Institute of Engineering and Technology called ‘allaying health concerns regarding 5G and exposure to radio waves’ which said radiation would be reduced.

"Some people have expressed a concern that a large number of 5G cells may increase a person’s exposure to radio waves,” it said.

"However, the particular feature of cellular radio is that every time a new base station or cell is added, the distance the signal has to travel is shorter.

"Therefore, under the laws of physics, the power needed is reduced, leading to a decline in the smartphone power level required to connect to a base station.

"For many people, their smartphone will be by far the nearest source of radio wave energy to their bodies.

"As a result, more 5G cells will lead to a reduction in the overall radio wave signal strength an individual smartphone user is exposed to."

Despite this, the application did attract one letter of objection over concerns health effects of 5G masts had not been fully researched.

However, approving the plans, council planning officer Peter Burridge said there could “be no reasonable objection on health grounds”.

“The proposed mast would facilitate improved communications coverage and the provision of 5G which would be in the public interest,” his report said.

“It would be taller and bulkier than the existing mast which it would replace. However, the harm caused is adjudged to be acceptable and would be outweighed by the public benefits associated with the development.”