BILSDALE MAST: Protecting the environment – How Arqiva is building an 80m mast on a Site of Special Scientific Interest
and live on Freeview channel 276
Arqiva is working with environmental experts to protect a moorland Site of Special Scientific Interest to ensure that they act quickly to build a temporary mast and comply with their obligations to the unique and beautiful environment of the North York Moors.
Alongside construction work, which began on Monday September 13, Arqiva is consulting with ecologists at the site itself in order to protect the moorland environment.
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Hide AdArqiva's ecologists have attended the site to complete surveys and carry out sensitive habitat clearance in small, discrete sections of the Bilsdale moor.
This work has been completed to ensure the works to construct the temporary mast avoid impacts to the heathland habitats and wildlife (birds, reptiles and amphibians) which make the area so important and sensitive.
Work in this area extends to a detailed heathland recovery strategy which will be implemented as the temporary mast is removed to ensure that there is no long-term harm to the moorland.
Arqiva are also working hard to ensure that the project leaves a lasting legacy benefit for the moors its wildlife.
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Hide AdThe recovery strategy includes re-seeding the heather which is being cleared to make way for the mast base and anchors for the stays (the steel ‘guy ropes’ which will keep the mast upright) and sourcing the correct type of stone to interact with the surroundings.
Floodlights which will allow overnight working in the remote site are solar powered, removing the need for diesel burning generators.
Adrian Twyning, Chief of Operations at Arqiva, said:“The site at Bilsdale is unique and complex, and we have worked closely with the landowner, Natural England and others to ensure that while we act as fast as we possibly can to build this mast, we do not ignore our clear obligations to the natural environment.”
“Our team is working tirelessly to deliver our recovery plan at Bilsdale, and to date we have been able to return a signal to upwards of 500,000 households using existing and temporary infrastructure around the area usually served by the Bilsdale mast.”
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Hide AdOnce operational, the 80m-high temporary mast is expected to provide Freeview TV signals to an area covering over 90% of households which were served by the existing Bilsdale mast, which was damaged by fire on August 10.
Due to the nature of the site, the build is heavily reliant on helicopter operations and working at height, which makes it weather dependent, but is expected to take 21 days to complete.
Further updates on the work to restore service will be published when available.