Business

West Wales farmer’s 5G mast rent row highlights a rural connectivity crunch

Published

12 months ago

May 18, 2025

A shock on the Carmarthenshire Farm

A FARMER from Carmarthenshire is at the centre of a growing legal storm over the UK Government’s controversial 5G rollout policy – a policy critics say is slowing progress, not speeding it up.

In 2017, ministers promised a faster, cheaper path to mobile connectivity by changing the law to let telecoms companies pay landowners far less for installing masts. But instead of unleashing 5G, the new rules have triggered a wave of legal battles – and rural Wales is bearing the brunt.

Thomas Richards from Llangennech, who agreed to host a mast in 2016 for around £5,500 a year, was stunned when the new rules allowed the telecoms company to revise their offer to just £3.50 a year.

“Negotiations were very stressful. I felt we were taken advantage of as a family,” he said. “I can’t believe the government is allowing this to happen. Who is going to want a mast on their land now?”

His case is one of more than a dozen disputes across Wales, all stemming from the 2017 reforms to the Electronic Communications Code.

Wales is now a legal hotspot for telecom disputes, with more than 14 tribunal cases since 2021. These include disputes with Cardiff International Airport, South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority, and farmers in Snowdonia and Powys.

The number of mast-related legal cases across the UK has surged from just 33 in the 30 years before the code change to more than 1,100 since 2017.

Many site owners – from farmers and churches to care homes and sports clubs – have reported rent drops of 90 percent or more, often with little say in the matter. Campaign group Protect and Connect say some landowners feel bullied and cornered.

In one case, a hill farmer in North Wales saw his annual rent slashed from £5,500 to £3.50. A park visitor centre lost £9,800 a year in mast income, damaging their ability to operate. A church in mid Wales was left scrambling to pay heating bills after its mast rent collapsed.

In response, telecom companies argue that the changes were necessary to stop landowners charging what they call ransom rents that stalled network upgrades. The UK Government insists the reforms are about making digital connectivity affordable and universal.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said it wants fairer, faster and more collaborative negotiations, and introduced the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act in 2022 to encourage dispute resolution.

But critics, including the Farmers’ Union of Wales, say the reforms have gone too far. One landowner was offered just £32 total for a 10-year lease – down from an earlier offer of £4,650 per year.

In Pembrokeshire, the battle over connectivity has a familiar ring. Residents in Tenby have been complaining about poor mobile signal for years, with tourists flooding in each summer only worsening the problem.

County Councillor Michael Williams said: “All the providers are blaming visitor numbers, but that excuse doesn’t justify the charges people are paying. It’s the same problem every year.”

One resident told The Herald he had missed hospital appointments because of poor signal. Businesses relying on card machines and mobile bookings say the network failures cost them money and reputation.

Efforts to install a 20-metre mast in Tenby to ease pressure have stalled due to planning objections within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Officials say it’s a difficult balance between connectivity and conservation.

Another controversial mast plan in the Preseli Hills was recently rejected due to its visual impact. Despite the potential to improve rural signal, inspectors upheld objections that it would harm the landscape.

In Cardiff and other urban areas, rooftop masts are also facing disputes over low renewal offers, showing this issue is not confined to the countryside.

Official Ofcom figures show Wales lags behind on mobile coverage. Only 62 percent of land area in Wales has 4G from all four major networks. In some rural constituencies, that figure drops below 50 percent. Superfast broadband access in Pembrokeshire stands at around 93 percent, still below the Welsh average.

Broadband tells a similar tale of two Waleses. Overall, about 96 percent of homes in Wales can access superfast broadband via fixed lines or wireless solutions – roughly on par with the UK average. But rural counties lag behind. Powys has the lowest superfast availability at just 84 percent of premises. Ceredigion is at 86 percent. Pembrokeshire stands around 93 percent – better, but still below the Welsh average. When it comes to future-proofed networks, the gap is starker: only 40 percent of premises in Pembrokeshire have access to full-fibre broadband so far, compared to nearly 70 percent of premises in Cardiff.

Some relief for landowners has started to arrive via the courts. In a recent case, the Upper Tribunal increased the annual rent for a greenfield mast site from £750 to £1,750, after ruling that the earlier valuation was too low. Farming unions hailed the decision, but warned it was still far below the market rates common before 2017.

Campaigners and MPs are now urging a review of the policy before new rules expand the same approach to 15,000 more sites across the UK. Legal experts warn the number of tribunal cases could double again if this happens.

Telecoms industry representatives argue that the reforms were needed to break deadlock and reduce deployment costs. They say most landowners still agree terms without dispute, and that masts are essential national infrastructure, not just commercial equipment.

But for rural communities, that message is wearing thin. Many feel they are being asked to sacrifice land, income and peace of mind – all while still waiting for improved service.

In Tenby, local plasterer Ben Jones says poor signal is costing him work. “I’ve missed bookings from clients because they couldn’t get through,” he said. “One customer said it took him five tries to make contact.”

Another resident, Paul, told The Herald he had missed hospital calls and emergency transport arrangements due to unreliable signal. “It’s ridiculous that in 2025, my phone signal is worse than it was in the 1990s,” he said.

Shops relying on mobile card machines also report frequent outages. One shop owner said: “It’s embarrassing having to explain to customers that we can’t process a payment because the network’s gone down again.”

There is growing consensus that progress on connectivity must be matched by fairness for those who host it. As the Carmarthenshire farmer put it: “I want better signal too. But not if it means giving up my land for pennies.”

Bridging the digital divide in Wales may require more than telecom towers. It may demand trust, balance, and real partnership between the countryside and the companies trying to connect it.

Business

Manorbier caravan park call refused by national park

Published

2 days ago

May 4, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to allow a Pembrokeshire caravan park to change part of its site from touring vans to static units without a formal planning application has been refused.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Norfolk-based Park Farm Opco Ltd, through Chipping Norton-based agent Laister Planning Limited, sought a Lawful Development Certificate for the proposed stationing of static caravans in lieu of touring caravans, year-round, at Park Farm Holiday Park, Manorbier.

A supporting statement accompanying the application said: “The purpose of this application is to confirm that the touring caravans so permitted for year-round occupation on the western field at Park Farm, are capable of being replaced by static caravan pitches without effecting a material change of use. There is no specific number of touring or static caravans which is being sought at this juncture.”

It says Park Farm Holiday Park comprises of two areas, area A having some 61 owner-occupied static caravans, and area B used for touring caravan pitches and tents.

Planning permission was originally granted way back in 1956 for the caravan site, on a temporary basis, a Lawful Development Certificate for an existing use for the use of the site for up to 70 static caravans granted in December 1998, mainly covering area A.

The statement said the lawfulness of siting caravans year-round was previously confirmed by the park in 2024 “use as a campsite for touring caravans (not including twin-unit static caravans) and tents which shall be occupied for holiday use only and used as temporary, non-permanent units on a year-round basis”.

Of the proposals, it said: “The site is currently used for the stationing of touring caravans all year round. Most of the caravans on the site are stationed on what is called a ‘seasonal’ basis, where the owners leave them permanently stationed on the site and use them as holiday homes, paying an annual ‘seasonal’ fee.

“The proposed use of the site is to replace the permanently stationed touring caravans with permanently stationed static caravans. No specific number is provided, as no number is provided in any of the existing certificates, but it is anticipated that the total number of caravans in the application site will inevitably be reduced as the caravans are generally larger.

“There would be no other change in the way the site is operated, and the intention is to use the caravans for holiday purposes.”

An officer report recommending the certificate of lawfulness for the change be refused, saying it was “not satisfied that the evidence accompanying the application is sufficient to establish that the proposed use would be lawful”.

It said that while lawfulness certificates for tourers had been granted “it is considered that the siting of single-unit statics in lieu of those tourers, as now proposed, would be inconsistent with the lawful use of the site, and cannot be considered lawful in the same way,” adding “the changes proposed would result in a definable character change to the site of a magnitude that would be sufficient to amount to a material change of use requiring planning permission”.

The application for a certificate of lawfulness was refused on the grounds “the proposed use of the site would represent a material change of use requiring planning permission for which no permitted development rights exist, meaning a specific grant of planning permission is needed in order for the scheme to proceed”.

Business

Pembrokeshire Paddle West South Quay boat shed approved

Published

3 days ago

May 3, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A PADDLEBOARDING and canoeing company’s call for an extension to a boat shed at Pembroke’s South Quay, below its historic castle, has been given the go-ahead by county planners.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, G Booth of Paddle West CIC, through agent James Dwyer Associates, sought permission for an extension to the stone-built boathouse, adjacent to the cliff on South Quay fronting the Mill Pond, Pembroke.

A supporting statement said: “It is intended to erect a single storey ‘lean-to’ building, or ‘shed’ for the storage of boats, such as canoes and kayaks, and related equipment, on a vacant space adjacent to the existing stone-built boathouse.”

It added: “The boathouse and the intended adjacent boat storage shed is located, as is to be expected, in close proximity to water, the Mill Pond. The Mill Pond is the main area of activity for Paddle West, a Community Interest Company, providing boating activities, kayaking, canoeing and paddle boarding, frequently for young people and families.”

It went on to say: “It is intended that the structure would be lightweight, erected on the exiting hard standing. The ‘shed’ would be used for the storage of boats and related equipment.”

With regard to the historic setting, it added: “Although the stone-built boathouse appears not to be listed, it is recognised that the walls above are listed and together they are a piece.

“Accordingly, through form and external materials proposed, timber cladding and profile sheet roofing, the aim is to ensure that the structure would be subservient and muted and not detract or compete with the visual aesthetic of the boathouse or historic walls. In effect the addition would blend into the background.”

The application, supported by Pembroke Town Council, was conditionally approved by county planners.

The boathouse is sited near to the new Henry Tudor Centre in South Quay, which is due to open in Spring 2027.

The centre, expected to receive around 30,000 visitors a year, will tell the story of Henry Tudor, son of Pembroke, his Welsh ancestry and his impact on our national story, Welsh culture and our wider British heritage.

The restored derelict South Quay buildings will also house a new library and community café, and a healthcare, social services and supported employment facility in the adjoining premises.

Business

Ty Bert Caribbean Kitchen brings taste of the Caribbean to Newport

Published

3 days ago

May 2, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A NEW café has opened in Newport, Pembrokeshire, bringing Caribbean flavours to the seaside town — with affordable bed and breakfast accommodation also planned for the near future.

Ty Bert Caribbean Kitchen has opened in the former youth hostel at the old school on Lower St Mary Street.

The venture is being run by Newport local Roberta James, who hopes to reopen the building’s five bedrooms as budget accommodation as soon as possible.

The café, which opened earlier this month, serves Caribbean dishes including jerk chicken, barbecue pork belly and goat curry, alongside more traditional options such as baked potatoes, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cold drinks and cake.

Roberta said the idea began after she responded to a Facebook post by Newport Town Council asking what the hostel, which had been closed since Covid, could be used for.

Soon afterwards, she was putting together a business plan and submitting it to Pembrokeshire County Council, drawing on her family’s background in catering and hospitality.

“I wanted to bring it back as a hostel but also have a place for the community and somewhere to use for events and groups,” she said.

The Caribbean theme was inspired by a holiday to Antigua.

Roberta said: “I am a foodie and I loved the food there. It was simple and flavoursome.”

She is recreating those flavours with the help of her friend Jason, who is from the Caribbean.

Box meals are available to eat in or take away, with protein mains served with rice, potato, coleslaw and salad for £12.95.

“The menu is perfect for families or for people that like a bit of spice and something a bit different,” Roberta said.

Customers have already been taking meals down to the beach or Parrog, while those eating in can use the downstairs café seating or a large family-friendly room upstairs, complete with big tables and board games.

Roberta said: “The response has been really good. We have had a lot of the locals coming in. They have been really supportive.

“During the Easter holidays we had tourists coming in. They really enjoyed having something different and reasonably priced.”

Ty Bert Caribbean Kitchen is currently open from Friday to Monday, from 12:00pm to 8:00pm, with plans to open on Thursdays later in the season. Diners are also welcome to bring a bottle with their meal.

Roberta said she hopes to open the hostel as soon as possible. Painting parties have already been held to freshen up the two dormitory rooms, two double rooms and one family room.

She is now waiting for Pembrokeshire County Council, which is leasing the property to her, to repair the boiler.

Roberta said transforming the former hostel into boutique budget accommodation, while creating the café, had been a real community effort, with friends and local businesses pitching in.

“There have been lots of lovely people in the community offering to help,” she said. “They want us to succeed, which is really nice.”

More information is available on the Ty Bert Facebook page.