Mast plan discussed
THE fourth planning application for a telecommunications mast and base station on land at Belvedere and Caldervale Sports Club at Holden Road, Reedley, is up for discussion by Pendle Council's Brierfield and Reedley Committee on Tuesday.
The application is for a 17.5m monopole mast with six antennae, three cabinets, associated equipment and a compound to be sited between the two rugby pitches.
The telecom company, O2 (UK) Ltd, plans to replace two of the existing three floodlight columns, which stand on a banking between the sports pitches, and utilise the monopole to take the floodlights at their current height, 15m.
The application, the third by O2, has met with a storm of protests, despite the company having submitted a "certificate of compliance with accepted standards of safety in respect of radio frequency emissions" with its application.
More than 80 letters of protest have been received by Pendle's planning department together with a petition containing 201 signatures.
Between them they list 38 different points of objection, including reference to the Stewart report stating children should not be exposed to mobile phone microwaves, other health issues, the high visibility of the mast, closeness to homes, possibility of vandalism, intrusion into the landscape, and the fact that mobile phone masts should not be put on sports fields used by children.
Planning officer Kathryn Hewertson has recommended refusal on planning grounds that "the proposed mast by virtue of its size, appearance and bulk would represent an alien, intrusive and incongruous feature in the landscape close to a number of public vantage points and residential properties to the detriment of visual and residential amenity".
The telecom company says there is a need for better telecommunications coverage in the Reedley/North Burnley area.
08 April 2005
Burnley express
The application is for a 17.5m monopole mast with six antennae, three cabinets, associated equipment and a compound to be sited between the two rugby pitches.
The telecom company, O2 (UK) Ltd, plans to replace two of the existing three floodlight columns, which stand on a banking between the sports pitches, and utilise the monopole to take the floodlights at their current height, 15m.
The application, the third by O2, has met with a storm of protests, despite the company having submitted a "certificate of compliance with accepted standards of safety in respect of radio frequency emissions" with its application.
More than 80 letters of protest have been received by Pendle's planning department together with a petition containing 201 signatures.
Between them they list 38 different points of objection, including reference to the Stewart report stating children should not be exposed to mobile phone microwaves, other health issues, the high visibility of the mast, closeness to homes, possibility of vandalism, intrusion into the landscape, and the fact that mobile phone masts should not be put on sports fields used by children.
Planning officer Kathryn Hewertson has recommended refusal on planning grounds that "the proposed mast by virtue of its size, appearance and bulk would represent an alien, intrusive and incongruous feature in the landscape close to a number of public vantage points and residential properties to the detriment of visual and residential amenity".
The telecom company says there is a need for better telecommunications coverage in the Reedley/North Burnley area.
08 April 2005
Burnley express
Starmail - 9. Apr, 14:02
