25m telecoms mast proposed near Carron Place in Leith

A 25-metre telecoms mast could be installed on a grass verge near Carron Place in Leith, beside existing commercial surroundings close to Safestore.

The proposal is for a tall monopole telecommunications structure with multiple antennas, transmission dishes and ground-level cabinets inside a new fenced compound. If it goes ahead, the mast would become a noticeable piece of street infrastructure in this part of Leith, where Carron Place meets a mixed urban setting of roads, commercial buildings and open verge space.

The application is currently marked as Awaiting Assessment by the City of Edinburgh Council.

What is proposed

The application seeks permission for a 25m monopole and associated telecommunications equipment at a site described as Telecoms Apparatus 14 metres east of 1 Carron Place, Edinburgh.

The plans include:

• one 25m monopole;
• six Vodafone/Three antennas;
• six VM02 antennas;
• four transmission dishes;
• six equipment cabinets;
• a new equipment compound;
• a 2.1m-high fence around the compound;
• ancillary telecoms equipment.

The scale of the mast is the main point of local interest. At 25 metres high, the monopole would rise well above normal street furniture and many surrounding boundary treatments, making it potentially visible from nearby roads, footways and business premises.

The cabinets and fenced compound would also change the appearance of the grass verge at ground level. While telecoms cabinets are a familiar part of Edinburgh streets, a fenced compound with multiple cabinets is a more substantial installation than a single roadside cabinet.

Where the site is

The proposed site is listed as 14 metres east of 1 Carron Place, in Leith. The mapped location places it close to the Safestore area, on a grass verge rather than within a conventional building plot.

Carron Place sits in a part of Leith where industrial, storage, commercial and transport uses are part of the everyday streetscape. That context matters because telecoms infrastructure is often located where equipment can be accessed, serviced and connected to wider networks.

For residents, workers and nearby businesses, the most visible change would be the introduction of a tall monopole and a fenced compound into the local street scene. For people passing through the area, the mast would likely read as part of the wider infrastructure landscape, alongside roads, lighting columns, signage and commercial premises.

Why it matters

Telecommunications applications often attract attention because they sit between two everyday public interests: better mobile connectivity and the visual impact of new equipment in shared streets and neighbourhoods.

This proposal is notable because of its height and the number of components involved. A 25m pole is not a small addition to the public realm. The associated antennas, dishes, cabinets and fencing mean the application is not only about the vertical mast, but also about how the base of the installation would sit on the verge.

For nearby occupiers, the key practical questions are likely to be:

• how prominent the mast would appear from Carron Place and nearby streets;
• how the fenced compound would affect the look and use of the verge;
• whether the equipment would sit comfortably within the existing commercial setting;
• how access for maintenance would work around the site;
• how the installation relates to existing telecoms and street infrastructure nearby.

The application category is Telecommunications, and the proposal is specifically tied to Vodafone/Three equipment. The planning process will focus on the land-use and visual planning issues relevant to this site and equipment.

The streetscape impact

The most immediate planning issue for neighbours is likely to be visual impact. A monopole of this height would be seen differently depending on the viewpoint: it may appear against commercial buildings, open sky, lighting columns or other urban infrastructure.

The fenced compound is also important. A 2.1m fence is roughly the height of a tall boundary screen, so the base of the installation would have a clear presence at pavement or roadside level. The six cabinets would sit within that enclosure, along with ancillary equipment.

In a dense urban area such as Leith, small changes to verges and edges can matter because these spaces help define the character of a street. The proposed location is not a residential garden or a traditional shop frontage, but it is still part of the visible public environment.

What happens next

The City of Edinburgh Council has validated the application and its status is currently Awaiting Assessment. No decision is listed at this stage.

Residents, businesses and other interested parties can search the council’s planning portal using the reference 26/01942/PATEL to view the application record and follow any updates. The address to search is Telecoms Apparatus 14 Metres East Of 1 Carron Place Edinburgh.

As with any live planning application, the final decision will depend on the council’s assessment of the submitted plans and relevant planning considerations.