Pressure pays as mobile mast plan cut back

A PROJECT to install more than 250 mobile masts in rural Scotland has been massively scaled back following pressure from business and nature groups.

- Craig Meighan

The Shared Rural Network project had planned to build 258 4G masts across unserved parts of the country. But this is to be reduced to 44 following revised plans, a reduction of 83%.

It comes after pressure from groups including Scottish Land & Estates, the John Muir Trust, the National Trust for Scotland, and a number of community councils.

Scale

Opponents say the project would have installed masts in parts of the country that do not require them and the scaled down proposals will protect some of Scotland's most beautiful scenery.