A telecommunications provider is seeking permission to erect a 25-metre mast close to proposed leisure centre improvements in Gipton.
Cornerstone has submitted plans to Leeds City Council for the installation at Fearnville Leisure Centre and adjacent playing fields.
The equipment would replace current infrastructure situated atop Oak Tree House, an office building on Oakwood Lane that faces demolition under unrelated proposals to construct residential apartments.
The telecommunications company indicated that the new mast would ensure uninterrupted 5G services for operators such as Vodafone and Virgin Media.
Planning documentation stated that the development would deliver advanced technology capable of enhancing connectivity throughout the area.
Under separate proposals currently before the council, Bauer Group intends to demolish Oak Tree House and construct an apartment development.
Initial plans featured 52 dwellings, though revised submissions from last month reduced this to 35 homes.
Redevelopment of Fearnville Leisure Centre itself remains at an early stage, with proposals encompassing a swimming pool, fitness studio, gymnasium, synthetic sports pitch and outdoor children’s play space.
Cornerstone maintained that its mast and accompanying equipment cabinets would be housed within a secure perimeter and would not interfere with the leisure centre redevelopment.
The planning submission specified the location as situated south of the existing leisure centre, south-west of tennis facilities, east of the bowls green and west of a public footpath.
The structure would be positioned to minimise disruption to the local environment and would benefit from partial screening provided by existing tree cover.
Technical requirements necessitated the proposed height, according to the documentation.
Fifth-generation networks operate using higher frequency bands than previous generations, meaning a reduced mast height would create signal obstruction and coverage deficiencies, potentially requiring supplementary infrastructure in other locations.
The submission indicated that the proposed dimensions represented the minimum technically feasible specification while limiting visual intrusion as much as possible.