by Naomi Wright

This is Local London

CHINGFORD is being bombarded with phone mast applications, say local residents.

Fears about the number of phone masts being put up in the area were raised at a North Chingford Community Council meeting.

Local people said they were dismayed when a recent planning application for a mast at Chingford Hatch was rejected by Waltham Forest Council, only to be overturned on appeal.

They asked if the council could take up the issue on behalf of residents and bring the case to the High Court.

A number of local people said health concerns were their main grievances against phone masts and councillors were asked if the authority could monitor the levels of signal intensity from the masts.

Last Wednesday council leader Clyde Loakes said that the issue of phone masts was a national problem due to the increasing number of people using mobile phones.

He said he could not justify using thousands of pounds of council tax money to get a High Court order to overturn planning permission allowing phone masts to be put up.

Cllr Marion Fitzgerald said: "These masts are going up everywhere but if we took these cases to the High Court they would be shot down in flames.

"The council is doing as much as it can about it.

"But we need the input of all of you to help us when the applications come through."