Land buy in doubt
I was so sorry to hear your bad news, Karen.
Sandi
Land buy in doubt
Hampshire Chronicle
Campaigners battling to stop a mobile phone company erecting a mast on land near a Winchester school could have their plans to buy the land thwarted.
Passions are already running high over the issue, but could get hotter if recommendations made by county council officers to block the purchase are supported by councillors at next week's cabinet meeting on Monday (June 13).
Last week, the Hampshire Chronicle reported that the latest bid by campaigners, who have been fighting the mast for over four years, was to buy the controversial patch of land in Byron Avenue .
Alan and Anne Saunders, who live in Chilbolton Avenue , next to the land, said their initial application to the council to gain legal rights had gone smoothly and they had paid a £500 deposit.
But they claimed the county had dragged its heels since over the application and their inquiries about it had been ignored.
In the latest twist, supporters of the bid have been angered by news that the authority has been directed by officers to block the application at Monday's specially-convened cabinet meeting.
Karen Barratt, who has spearheaded the campaign against Orange 's plans and will be speaking at Monday's meeting, said: "I hope the cabinet will ignore this recommendation.
"The points made in the officers' report all relate to maintaining an open aspect of the mast site. The fact that Orange is planning to erect a 12m mast there with a large equipment cabin seems to have escaped the council's notice."
Last week, a HCC spokesman said the matter was complicated because Orange had planning permission and that if the application went further, the mobile phone giant would certainly "fight it".
The cabinet meeting on Monday will be in the main council chamber and will be open to the public.
Sandi
Land buy in doubt
Hampshire Chronicle
Campaigners battling to stop a mobile phone company erecting a mast on land near a Winchester school could have their plans to buy the land thwarted.
Passions are already running high over the issue, but could get hotter if recommendations made by county council officers to block the purchase are supported by councillors at next week's cabinet meeting on Monday (June 13).
Last week, the Hampshire Chronicle reported that the latest bid by campaigners, who have been fighting the mast for over four years, was to buy the controversial patch of land in Byron Avenue .
Alan and Anne Saunders, who live in Chilbolton Avenue , next to the land, said their initial application to the council to gain legal rights had gone smoothly and they had paid a £500 deposit.
But they claimed the county had dragged its heels since over the application and their inquiries about it had been ignored.
In the latest twist, supporters of the bid have been angered by news that the authority has been directed by officers to block the application at Monday's specially-convened cabinet meeting.
Karen Barratt, who has spearheaded the campaign against Orange 's plans and will be speaking at Monday's meeting, said: "I hope the cabinet will ignore this recommendation.
"The points made in the officers' report all relate to maintaining an open aspect of the mast site. The fact that Orange is planning to erect a 12m mast there with a large equipment cabin seems to have escaped the council's notice."
Last week, a HCC spokesman said the matter was complicated because Orange had planning permission and that if the application went further, the mobile phone giant would certainly "fight it".
The cabinet meeting on Monday will be in the main council chamber and will be open to the public.
Starmail - 13. Jun, 22:26
