View source for Sutton Common BT Tower

{{Short description|Radio tower near Macclesfield, Cheshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox UK transmitter
|name                = Sutton Common
|image               = [[File:Sutton Common BT Tower 2018.jpg|250px]]
|caption = Sutton Common BT Tower
|map_name = Cheshire
|coordinates = {{coord|53.206129|-2.100728|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
|location            = [[Macclesfield]], [[Cheshire]]
|height2             = 
|gridref             = SJ9327467710
|built               = 1960s
|demolished          = 
|collapsed           = 
|footnotes           = 
}}
'''Sutton Common BT Tower''' is a 72-metre (238-foot){{cn|date=February 2016}} [[radio masts and towers|radio tower]] built of [[reinforced concrete]] at [[Macclesfield]], [[Cheshire]], England. Sutton Common was originally conceived as part of the [[British Telecom microwave network#Backbone|1950s 'Backbone' chain]] designed to provide the UK and NATO with survivable communications during nuclear war.<ref >''Backbone radio link and radio standby to line links for safeguarding vital communications''. GPO paper for the Official Committee on Civil Defence, July 1956. [[The National Archives (UK)]] CAB 134/1207</ref>

The tower stands near the summit of [[Croker Hill]] on the western edge of the [[Peak District]] national park. Sutton relays signals to [[Heaton Park BT Tower|Heaton Park]] in the north and [[Pye Green BT Tower|Pye Green]] to the south. For survivability during a nuclear war, the Backbone towers are some of the few communication towers in the United Kingdom built of reinforced concrete. 

A wind farm was proposed on land adjacent to the transmitter but was objected to for various reasons, including the possible effects of turbine blades on the fixed link.<ref>{{cite web |title=Planning Application Details |url=https://planning.cheshireeast.gov.uk/applicationdetails.aspx?pr=12/3438M |website=[[Cheshire East Council]] |access-date=27 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409124754/https://planning.cheshireeast.gov.uk/applicationdetails.aspx?pr=12/3438M |archive-date=Apr 9, 2023 |language=en |date=5 Sep 2012}}</ref>

== Channels available from this site ==

===Analogue radio===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Frequency
!kW <ref>Radio Listeners Guide 2010</ref>
!Service
|-
|96.4 [[MHz]]
|0.250
|[[Greatest Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire]]
|-
|106.9&nbsp;MHz
|0.300
|[[Silk 106.9|Silk Radio]]
|}

===Digital radio===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Frequency
!Block
!kW
!Operator
|-
|220.352 MHz
|12C
|0.5
|[[CE Digital|Manchester]]
|-
|229.072&nbsp;MHz
|12D
|0.5
|[[Stoke & Stafford (DAB Multiplex)|Stoke & Stafford]]
|}

==See also==
*[[British Telecom microwave network]]
*[[Telecommunications towers in the United Kingdom]]
*[[List of towers]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Sutton Common microwave tower}}
{{oscoor gbx|SJ933676}}
*[http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/sutton-common.php Sutton Common's entry at mb21]

{{BT Group}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Cheshire]]
[[Category:Transmitter sites in England]]
[[Category:BT Group buildings and structures]]
[[Category:1960s establishments in England]]
[[Category:Towers completed in the 1960s]]


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