Health fears after mast site moved
Jul 21 2005
By Sarah Gaffney, Ormskirk Advertiser
PLANNERS are looking favourably on proposals to build an 02 mobile phone mast at Platts Lane in Burscough, says the company.
The 17.5 metre communications tower was originally proposed for Briars Lane but after objections the Platts Lane site was suggested.
Jason Isherwood, from the Poplars estate near the site, has a four week old baby and schools his children at home.
He is concerned about the health problems that the mast could cause to him and his family, although O2 has said there are no health risks.
He said: "The big argument that O2 put across was they had years of research from military use. I said it's not satisfactory, how many heavily pregnant women do you have in a war zone?
"The reality is the amount of research on it is not conclusive and it's not at the point where people are satisfied. You only have to cast your mind back to a time when they said Sellafield fall-out was safe and that was the government guideline."
St John's School and Mr Isherwood's home school are both close to the mast, but 02 said that this would not stop it being built.
An O2 spokeswoman said: "As a rule we look at around 200 metres round the mast. We consult with local householders who are immediately close to the proposed site. We take advice and guidance from local planning agencies as well.
"We are talking about consultation. It's not that a mobile phone operator is not allowed to put up a mast anywhere near a school, they are sometimes put on roofs, the situation is whether or not we consult with a school.
"We have moved it half a kilometre away and we then wrote again to the parish council and other householders who we had not corresponded with. We received quite a number of letters with regards to Briars Lane, we received six letters of objection to the Platts Lane site."
* The application will be discussed at a meeting on July 28 in the district council offices in Ormskirk.
By Sarah Gaffney, Ormskirk Advertiser
PLANNERS are looking favourably on proposals to build an 02 mobile phone mast at Platts Lane in Burscough, says the company.
The 17.5 metre communications tower was originally proposed for Briars Lane but after objections the Platts Lane site was suggested.
Jason Isherwood, from the Poplars estate near the site, has a four week old baby and schools his children at home.
He is concerned about the health problems that the mast could cause to him and his family, although O2 has said there are no health risks.
He said: "The big argument that O2 put across was they had years of research from military use. I said it's not satisfactory, how many heavily pregnant women do you have in a war zone?
"The reality is the amount of research on it is not conclusive and it's not at the point where people are satisfied. You only have to cast your mind back to a time when they said Sellafield fall-out was safe and that was the government guideline."
St John's School and Mr Isherwood's home school are both close to the mast, but 02 said that this would not stop it being built.
An O2 spokeswoman said: "As a rule we look at around 200 metres round the mast. We consult with local householders who are immediately close to the proposed site. We take advice and guidance from local planning agencies as well.
"We are talking about consultation. It's not that a mobile phone operator is not allowed to put up a mast anywhere near a school, they are sometimes put on roofs, the situation is whether or not we consult with a school.
"We have moved it half a kilometre away and we then wrote again to the parish council and other householders who we had not corresponded with. We received quite a number of letters with regards to Briars Lane, we received six letters of objection to the Platts Lane site."
* The application will be discussed at a meeting on July 28 in the district council offices in Ormskirk.
Starmail - 21. Jul, 18:15
