Leeds Bradford Airport: 30m-high 5G mast to boost mobile phone coverage around Leeds Bradford Airport

Telecoms firm Cornerstone sought permission to replace an existing 17m tower at Leeds Bradford Airport Industrial Estate.

The company said the larger structure and its 12 antennas would boost 4G coverage and help introduce 5G technology to the area.

Leeds City Council gave permission for the new installation at the Harrogate Road estate.

A design report by Cornerstone said the project was part of national network improvements by mobile providers.

It said: “The proposal is the upgrading of an existing base station installation to facilitate the deployment of 5G connectivity for Vodafone and Virgin Media 02 customers in the Yeadon area.

“This will bring even greater economic and social benefits to the area.”

Upgrading an existing facility would avoid the need to find a new location for the installation, Cornerstone said.

The report said: “The site location is deemed appropriate to host the required development.”

Permission was sought for the upgrade after previous planning permission, granted by the council in 2022, expired.

A Leeds City Council report said the new mast would not be visually intrusive, despite being significantly larger than the existing tower.

It said: “The increased size of the mast and antennas is necessary to support current technologies and high-speed data capacity.