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10.37 am
Mr. John McFall (Dumbarton): I shall be brief to allow the Minister time to reply.
I congratulate the right hon. Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro), who has been absolutely loyal to the Monro doctrine--that the environment counts very much. I know that he has taken part in every environmental debate in this House, certainly since I have been here. On issues such as national parks, his voice and his wisdom have been very welcome. I agree with the points that he made in opening the debate.
The issue is to embrace technological change without scarring our environment. I agree with the right hon. Gentleman that currently there is a laissez-faire attitude to the erection of masts and pylons. I am sure that we could get together and co-operate in looking at these matters.
I accept that we all want to supply cheap, non-polluting and infinitely renewable energy and I agree that some areas in Scotland are ideal for windfarms. However, people in Cornwall, Cumbria, mid-Wales, Yorkshire and Scotland are divided between support for cleaner power and opposition to what they see as a desecration of their landscape.
The right hon. Gentleman referred to power generation. Currently, barely 1.5 per cent. of our power needs are met by renewable energy, compared with 25 or 26 per cent.--almost 50 per cent. in Scotland--met by nuclear energy. The remainder comes from traditional fossil fuels, mainly coal and gas. Wind power must be seen in that context.
There is an argument used by the advocates of wind power that local people come to accept turbines. A recent study by Exeter university found that in Cornwall opposition to an early windfarm at Delabole declined after several years. Even so, environment and conservation groups admit that the windfarm issue has divided their supporters. The debate is fractious and we have to accept that it always will be.
The key, as the right hon. Member for Dumfries said, is that wind energy generation should not be unsightly, either when functioning or after the end of the life of a windfarm. Efforts have been made to that end in Scotland, but, in December 1994, 30 projects were awarded contracts under the first order made within the Scottish renewables obligation, commonly referred to as SRO-1.
To identify planning and environmental issues associated with the development of windfarms and other alternative energy sources, an assessment of potential renewable energy resources in Scotland was published in December 1993. The assessment was carried out by Scottish Hydro-Electric, Scottish Power, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Scottish Office, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, with support from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.They put the issue of renewable energy in the context of the planning system, but I shall not read out
the relevant chapters of their report. The report contains good guidelines, but there is a softness about them. At the end of the day, we need more firmness, especially in the planning system. The right hon. Member for Dumfries asked whether the system was being fair to objectors; I do not think that it is, but I will cover that point when talking about telecommunications masts.
In respect of telecommunications masts, planning controls in Scotland are similar, but not identical, to those in England and Wales. Scottish Office guidance to local authorities on planning and telecommunications has been set out in the Scottish Office Development Department's circular 25/85. Under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992, telecommunications companies have similar powers for the installation of apparatus as they have in England and Wales. The same height restriction of 15 m applies for masts to fall within permitted development and normally express planning permission must be sought for masts higher than that. However, the prior approval procedure for permitted development rights for masts less than 15 m does not apply in Scotland. I hope that the Minister will turn his attention to that point.
On any mast, microwave antennas may not exceed 1.3 m in any dimension and no more than 10 antennas are allowed on any mast. The order defines microwave as
I asked the House of Commons Library to research the issue. The Scottish Office told the Library that it was unaware of any difference in the planning controls on different operators and that it was unaware of the issue ever having been raised. If this is the first time that it has been raised, I should be grateful if the Minister would give it his attention, but I do not expect an immediate response.
On the more general issue of planning control and mast development, I am aware that the four network operators met officials of the Scottish Office about three weeks ago. The Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland has expressed its concern. Scotland's four main mobile telephone operators want to install hundreds more transmitters before 2000, many in some of Scotland's most scenic areas. The APRS says that, every week, two or three new radio masts are erected by operators using "permitted development rights" that allow them to build structures up to 15 m in height without needing planning permission.
I shall give the Minister an example. According to the APRS, an installation erected by Orange on Bonartie hill, near Loch Leven in Kinross-shire, "glows and shimmers"
when the light catches its steel framework, totally dominating the surrounding landscape. That issue falls within the guidelines, but it is causing great concern among local people.
Scotland already has between 400 and 500 sites, but the operators want almost to double that number so as to extend their coverage throughout rural areas that have not previously been reached. The spur for that is their desire to exploit the Scottish mobile telephone market--we have no objection to that, but we must remember that Scotland has lagged behind the rest of the United Kingdom--helped by the licence requirement that demands 95 per cent. coverage of the UK. According to a Cellnet spokesman, that will mean that
The highlands and islands concept with Vodafone and Cellnet has already been mentioned. I do not object to the project because it is a positive development, but the right hon. Member for Dumfries and others will be concerned about the A9 corridor and how development will proceed there, especially because it is an area of scenic beauty that attracts tourists. We do not want our landscape to be scarred, so we have a joint interest in the issue, as this debate has illustrated.
The Orange representative, Richard Rumbelow, said that the company already had 180 sites in Scotland, mainly in the central belt, but was looking to add another 100 by 1998. Strutt and Parker, the land agent, has arranged 22 leases this year--double last year's tally--and is working on a further 20 sites in Scotland. The company says that smaller structures command rents of about £3,000 a year, with masts above 15 m earning £4,000 a year, so farmers and others have a commercial interest in the matter. Nevertheless, such development must be controlled.
The possibility of sharing masts is important. I hope that that will be done in the highlands and islands project. Highlands and islands spokespersons have said that, on technological grounds, sharing is not possible in many cases, but I hope that efforts will be made to encourage the practice.
The key issue is the scope given to operators by permitted development rights. The fact is that, if a company wants to build a mast on the summit of Ben Nevis, planning authorities can complain, but have few powers to do anything about it provided that the mast is less than 15 m high. Planners' only sanction is an article 4 order, under which they can forbid development in specified areas. However, according to a highlands and islands planner, Bill Hepburn, who is currently compiling guidelines for councillors:
"that part of the radio spectrum above 1,000 MHz".
That would seem to create an anomaly in respect of mobile telephone masts, because Cellnet and Vodafone networks operate at frequencies below 1,000 MHz, whereas Orange and One 2 One operate at frequencies above 1,000 MHz. In other words, it would appear that Cellnet and Vodafone masts would not be described as
"microwave antennas and their supporting structures"
under the order, whereas Orange and One 2 One's would. If Vodafone's and Cellnet's masts were not defined as microwave antennas, there would apparently be no restrictions on their use within conservation and national scenic areas. The Minister should look at that issue, because there would be great concern if masts were to be erected in such areas.
"By 2000 some 12 million people will have mobiles, double the existing number, and Scotland is one of our big target areas."
In short, an existing problem will become worse in future and all of us have a duty to turn our attention to it.
"that legislation is extremely difficult to enact".
He adds:
"I suspect that planning authorities will not actually be able to make it stick."
It is therefore important that, in discussions with mobile telephone operators and rural and other interests, a framework is developed to cover that issue.
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