Protest plan over 30m phone mast
Feb 23 2005
By Cathy Reeves
RESIDENTS are planning to stage a demonstration this Friday in protest at a 30m telephone mast.
Planning permission has been granted by Wealden District Council for the pole and ancillary equipment to be put up in the grounds of Mid Sussex Timber yard in Station Road, Forest Row.
Villager Paula Simonis said: "We really don't want it. My first worries are the health risks and the fact that we knew nothing about this. "Villagers feel very aggrieved that it's gone through the way it has. "People feel they haven't had the right to talk about it."
The demonstration is expected to attract a good number of protesters with placards.
Simon Waters, partner at Mid Sussex Timber, insisted no contract had yet been signed with the telephone company and that he would be looking for reassurances about safety before signing any deal.
He said: "I will be making it quite clear to them that if they want the support of the local people then they need to convince the village and ourselves that what they plan to erect would not be detrimental to anyone's health in any way.
"If there's going to be justified huge opposition obviously we wouldn't go ahead.
Mike Davies, community affairs manager for Hutchison 3G UK Ltd, said: "The site itself gained full planning consent with the local authority at the end of 2004. It went through the full planning process."
Mr Davies said there were no objections placed at the time.
He continued: "I think the reality is we will not be changing the location because it was given full consent by authority."
The protest is due to take place at the site on Friday at 3.30pm.
From Mast Network
By Cathy Reeves
RESIDENTS are planning to stage a demonstration this Friday in protest at a 30m telephone mast.
Planning permission has been granted by Wealden District Council for the pole and ancillary equipment to be put up in the grounds of Mid Sussex Timber yard in Station Road, Forest Row.
Villager Paula Simonis said: "We really don't want it. My first worries are the health risks and the fact that we knew nothing about this. "Villagers feel very aggrieved that it's gone through the way it has. "People feel they haven't had the right to talk about it."
The demonstration is expected to attract a good number of protesters with placards.
Simon Waters, partner at Mid Sussex Timber, insisted no contract had yet been signed with the telephone company and that he would be looking for reassurances about safety before signing any deal.
He said: "I will be making it quite clear to them that if they want the support of the local people then they need to convince the village and ourselves that what they plan to erect would not be detrimental to anyone's health in any way.
"If there's going to be justified huge opposition obviously we wouldn't go ahead.
Mike Davies, community affairs manager for Hutchison 3G UK Ltd, said: "The site itself gained full planning consent with the local authority at the end of 2004. It went through the full planning process."
Mr Davies said there were no objections placed at the time.
He continued: "I think the reality is we will not be changing the location because it was given full consent by authority."
The protest is due to take place at the site on Friday at 3.30pm.
From Mast Network
Starmail - 23. Feb, 23:51
