Infralink consults on standard telecoms mast terms

Infralink, the Scottish Government-backed project to improve mobile digital connectivity, has opened a consultation on its standard leases and payment guidance relating to the use of land for telecoms masts.

In March 2021, Infralink published a set of standard leases and payment guidance to be used as a credible option to current practice when a site owner is approached by a mobile operator regarding the use of their property for a mast. Its aim was to establish a balanced and transparent starting point for discussions between potential landlords and tenants, to ease the conduct of negotiations and result in improved connectivity in an area.

The standard leases build off the mediated Greater London Authority template that was developed against the backdrop of the Electronic Communications Code 2017. The payment guidance has been based on case law, existing asset valuations and sector experience to create a three stage process to determining the cumulative financial starting point for negotiations, based on the location and type of asset.

Infralink now invites feedback to find out:

• whether it has struck the right balance between landlord control and promoting connectivity in the leases;
• how suitable are the suggested figures in the payment guidance; and
• whether the leases and guidance have been used in practice.

Click here to access the consultation. It runs until 28 January 2022. Infralink will publish a summary report on the feedback and update the standardised documents accordingly by 31 March 2022.