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A farmer from Powys has described his experience hosting 4G masts on his land as a “nightmare” after his rental income was cut in half, alongside incurring £5,000 in associated costs. Alan Watson, 68, who owns land in Llanbadarn Fynydd, has hosted a mast for over two decades. However, he says recent legal changes have shifted the balance of power, leaving farmers feeling pressured into accepting less favorable terms from telecom companies.
The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) expressed concern that reducing mast rents might discourage landowners from hosting infrastructure needed to maintain mobile connectivity in rural parts of Wales. This issue is crucial given that nearly 25% of Wales lacks 4G coverage from all network providers, according to an Ofcom report, meaning many communities rely heavily on masts erected on privately owned land. Watson claims the current negotiation process leaves him with virtually no say in the rent he receives and warns others against entering such agreements under the present terms.
At the heart of the dispute lie amendments made in 2017 to the Electronic Communications Code, which establishes the framework for agreements between landowners and telecom operators. These reforms aimed to reduce costs for deploying mobile infrastructure by altering how rents are calculated. Nonetheless, landowners argue these changes have slashed income by up to 90% in some cases and increased the adversarial nature of negotiations. Watson reflects on his experience as a David versus Goliath battle, noting that while he has always been willing to support local connectivity, the new rules have left him with half the rent (£2,500 down from £5,000) and thousands spent on legal fees.
Watson estimates he has earned around £55,000 before tax from hosting masts over the years, although legal and consultancy costs have now taken a significant toll. He laments that attempts at negotiation are futile under the current law, as companies often bypass talks and move straight to court, a process that is financially daunting for individual landowners. He fears that these difficulties could worsen connectivity issues across the UK, questioning why landowners would agree to lease their land for minimal returns. Watson calls on the government to intervene, stressing the need for a cooperative framework that aligns the interests of both landowners and telecom operators, rather than driving them apart.
The National Infrastructure Commission for Wales has also raised alarms that reduced rents make it less attractive to host mobile masts, threatening existing sites as more landowners submit notices to quit, particularly in Cardiff and Swansea. Tim Faire, chair of the FUW’s land use and climate change committee, highlighted the longstanding goodwill farmers have shown but emphasized that the current environment is unsustainable due to cut rents and growing difficulties in reaching agreements. DEFRA, for its part, acknowledged the critical role of landowners in delivering digital connectivity and affirmed its commitment to balancing the needs of landowners with those of communities seeking improved mobile coverage. The government’s reforms aim to support high-quality 5G services across populated areas by 2030 while ensuring that negotiations with landowners remain fair
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