U-turn for church in mast outrage
20 October 2005
RELIGIOUS leaders have bowed to pressure over the construction of a phone mast on church grounds.
An agreement had been reached between the Welling Methodist Church, in Bellegrove Road, and T-Mobile over putting up the antenna. But residents raised safety concerns and were angry over how consultation has been carried out. Now church leaders made a u-turn on their decision.
Church council spokesman Alan Turner-Smith said: "In view of the enormous disquiet about this (the proposed antenna), we decided not to go ahead with it. There was no safety issue here."
Mr Turner-Smith claims the church did consult with the community.
He added: "We went far, far beyond what would normally happen in a case like this.
"We let all the residents know and we also held a consultation day where we listened to people's comments."
Resident Alan Bannister, of Montrose Close, Welling, told the Times he felt the church has acted badly.
He said: "With the potential health fears regarding mobile phone masts, it beggars belief that a Christian organisation is content for a phone mast to be erected on premises used frequently by family groups with young children, and in a residential area.
"I am appalled about this quite honestly.
"All they did was put a notice up on the door of the church to announce this.
"I think they are guilty of poor distribution and circulation, and I think that has upset people more than the fact that they were going to allow one of these things to be put up in the first place."
A T-Mobile spokesman said: "As I understand it, T-Mobile is not proceeding with that site at the moment."
lisa.jarvis@archant.co.uk
http://www.bexleytimes.co.uk/content/bexley/times/news/story.aspx?brand=BXYOnline&category=news&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsbxy&itemid=WeED20%20Oct%202005%2014%3A45%3A33%3A997
RELIGIOUS leaders have bowed to pressure over the construction of a phone mast on church grounds.
An agreement had been reached between the Welling Methodist Church, in Bellegrove Road, and T-Mobile over putting up the antenna. But residents raised safety concerns and were angry over how consultation has been carried out. Now church leaders made a u-turn on their decision.
Church council spokesman Alan Turner-Smith said: "In view of the enormous disquiet about this (the proposed antenna), we decided not to go ahead with it. There was no safety issue here."
Mr Turner-Smith claims the church did consult with the community.
He added: "We went far, far beyond what would normally happen in a case like this.
"We let all the residents know and we also held a consultation day where we listened to people's comments."
Resident Alan Bannister, of Montrose Close, Welling, told the Times he felt the church has acted badly.
He said: "With the potential health fears regarding mobile phone masts, it beggars belief that a Christian organisation is content for a phone mast to be erected on premises used frequently by family groups with young children, and in a residential area.
"I am appalled about this quite honestly.
"All they did was put a notice up on the door of the church to announce this.
"I think they are guilty of poor distribution and circulation, and I think that has upset people more than the fact that they were going to allow one of these things to be put up in the first place."
A T-Mobile spokesman said: "As I understand it, T-Mobile is not proceeding with that site at the moment."
lisa.jarvis@archant.co.uk
http://www.bexleytimes.co.uk/content/bexley/times/news/story.aspx?brand=BXYOnline&category=news&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsbxy&itemid=WeED20%20Oct%202005%2014%3A45%3A33%3A997
Starmail - 20. Okt, 19:46
