Plan for mobile phone mast near Lybster

A BID is being made to instal a mobile phone mast on land north east of Camster Lodge, near Lybster.

An application has been lodged with Highland Council by Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Ltd in Berkshire for a 25-metre lattice tower, associated equipment and solar array.

The company points out that mobile phones can only function with a network of base stations and stress there are many rural areas in the UK where there is only coverage with one mobile network operator or no coverage at all.

It adds: "In this case, a new installation is required and shall be made available to the mobile operators VMO2, Vodafone and Three for the purposes of providing 4G network coverage to the local area around Hill of Toftgunn, Caithness.

"The proposed development will comprise of shared infrastructure which is in full accordance with national planning policy, improving service within the local area while limiting the environmental impact."

The application was lodged last month and is said to be under consideration.

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