A 5G mast and base station could be built on top of a nursery, under plans to be voted on next week.

The new mast at 12 Portman Road would replace the current one on top of the same building, which is currently home to Bubbles @The Globe Day Nursery and The Deliverance Centre, which offers venue hire.

The development would upgrade the existing 2G, 3G and 4G services on the site and introduce 5G technology.

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As the replacement antennas would be located on a building less than 15m in height and within 20m of a public highway, the proposed development requires planning permission.

Reading councillors will vote on the proposal next Wednesday, February 3.

The maximum height of the existing antennas at the site is 3.3m from roof level and 13.46m from ground level.

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This would increase to 9.36m from roof level and 19.52m from ground level.

Reading Borough Council (RBC) case officer David Brett said: “While this increase is substantial, the proposed increase is not considered to harm the visual impact of the surrounding area.”

The current antennas

The current antennas

The ‘telecommunications base station’ is shared by mobile companies EE and Hutchinson 3G.

The upgraded infrastructure would provide high mobile download speeds and more reliable, quicker phone connections as well as increase capacity to provide services to a higher number of people at the same time and improved service for the emergency services network.

A declaration has been submitted by the applicant confirming the plans comply with the International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation (ICNIRP) guidelines.