ELLIE PIOVESANA
Tamworth Herald

10:30 - 08 September 2005

Worried Wilnecote residents fighting plans for a 25 metre phone mast near their homes were expecting a decision to be made last night (Wednesday).

Planning officers who recommended a refusal of the T Mobile mast at last month's meeting, now say the application meets planning legislation.

But the final say rested with committee members who have recently rejected several masts because they would be too close to homes.

Angry Sarah Swegsda of Curlew, Wilnecote, feels she has been kept in the dark over the plans.

"I'm absolutely fuming," she told the Herald.

"I only heard about this from a neighbour. Not everyone has received a letter about this."

T Mobile are requesting permission to erect a 25 metre mast next to electricity pylons on the Tamworth Grid Substation, Stonydelph Lane.

The site is near to Wilnecote residents - especially those in Curlew - as well as the Happy Tots day Nursery.

Planning guidance states that masts should not be sited within 100 metres of residential properties.

But a report released this week said the nursery falls just outside the 100 metre buffer and the mast is unlikely to have any impact on residents.

Mrs Swegsda spent Tuesday night handing out leaflets to parents outside Happy Tots Day Nursery in a bid to drum up some last minute support.

"I do not want to put my children's lives at risk and I do not want a mast outside my house," she added.

A petition containing nearly 80 signatures has been handed in to the council. Residents who spoke at last night's meeting were told they were not allowed to object on health grounds.

Wakefield Express

RESIDENTS have vowed to fight new proposals to place a phone mast at a football club near an infant school.

The planning application to erect a phone mast at Ossett Albion FC comes two months after a similar application to place a mast on the same site was refused.

People living in the area around the Dimplewells Road site, close to Dimplewell Infant School, fought a determined campaign to prevent a mast being erected last time – and have promised they will do the same again.

The new planning application, by T-Mobile, is for a phone mast antennae to be attached to one of the existing floodlights, instead of a separate phone mast.

Determined residents have restarted the Ossett Residents Against Mobile Phone Masts (ORAMM) pressure group and are collecting signatures against the planning proposal.

Margaret Walker, of Dimplewells Lane, is a member of ORAMM.

She said: “It’s going to be close to the school. I don’t think it’s a suitable site for a phone mast. I think it will devalue our house because it is so near to it.

“In addition, there are the health hazards, which they say are none existent, but I don’t believe that at all.

“We are all in agreement. All the way up Dimplewells Lane and Dimplewells Road, and in the surrounding areas, they are objecting.

“We are just hoping that the planning department will take notice and say no to them again.”

Ms Walker is helping ORAMM collect signatures for the petition.

She said: “I have never done anything like this before in my life, but I feel so strongly about it. A lot of other people do as well, especially those with young children.”

Stuart Garside, vice-chairman of Ossett Albion FC, based at Ossett Cricket and Athletic Club, said the club have a football team that play in the Unibond League, an under 19s side, and are in negotiations with youth sides to bring them to the club.

He said: “Any money raised from the mast will be going to help promote football in the area from juniors right through to seniors.

“We are self-financing and we have got to do everything ourselves.

“It won’t look out of place. It’s going to be an addition to the floodlights.

“There will be no difference in outlook from any of the houses.

“There isn’t a health issue – it hasn’t been proved in the courts.

“If there was a health issue in the future, we would have no hesitation in taking the mast down.”

Omega this is a health issue yet today. See under:
http://omega.twoday.net/topics/Wissenschaft+zu+Mobilfunk/
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Cancer+Cluster
http://www.buergerwelle.de/body_science.html

Wakefield Council has extended the closing date for comments on the application, reference number 05/99/687566/A, to Friday, September 16.

09 September 2005

By Peter Stebbings
Barnet and Potters Bar Times

A Barnet councillor spent part of her weekend preventing the building of a mobile phone mast for which planning permission had not been granted.

Councillors and residents have long opposed applications by mobile phone operators to plant masts in Saxon Field, a bank of grass between St Mary's Road and Avondale Avenue, in Church Hill Road, East Barnet.

With a council official in tow, Councillor Olwen Evans hot-footed down to the site on Sunday, after a phone call from a resident alerted her to what was going on.

The confusion arose because Saxon Field is close to the road, part of which belongs to Barnet Council and part to the Department of Transport. The latter had granted planning permission, but the former had not.

The council has vowed to oppose all applications for phone masts on its land.

Mrs Evans said: "It is outrageous that contractors working for T-Mobile have tried to erect a mast on council land.

"The company has absolutely no right to put up a transmitter at that site. It would appear they may have tried to force the issue by erecting over the weekend."

A T-Mobile spokesman said: "The use of mobile phones in the UK has grown at a phenomenal rate, with some 60 million now in use.

"All communities have the potential to benefit from first-class mobile communications whether they are used for business, social or emergency purposes."

Shropshire Star 09 09 05

Telecommunications giant Vodafone was today refused permission to put up a 12-metre high phone mast in Telford, following a storm of opposition from angry residents.

The proposal for a mast near the junction of Brunel Road and Stone Row in Malinslee attracted letters and emails of objection along with a petition signed by more than 200 residents.

It was turned down by members of Telford & Wrekin's plans board this morning by a narrow margin of just four votes to three.

Councillor John Sadler, who voted against the mast, said the reason for refusal was that masts should not be put near residential areas, when guidelines advise that they are not placed in schools.

However, members were warned by area planning officer Dave Fletcher that this reason was unlikely to be upheld if the decision went to appeal.

Sep 9 2005

Cheshire Chronicle
Exclusive By Liza Williams, Chester Chronicle

THREE young children could end up sleeping just two metres away from a mobile phone mast.

A proposed mast for the Orange network at Olympus House in Tattenhall would be directly adjacent to bedrooms at The Mount, Kath Jameson's home, where her nine-year-old twins and seven-year-old son sleep.

Kath said: 'I am so worried - we can't let this mast be erected. It is one thing knowing masts are close to where you work, or are in the village, but having them just two metres away from your childrens' bedrooms is quite another matter.'

Many other residents are also concerned about the mast.

Mike Kennerley, who lives on the high street, said: 'The specific location is problematic. There is so much space in this area where the mast could have gone, and it is worrying that it is proposed so close to houses.

'There should have been more consultation on the site, with the parish council for instance, and then this trouble could have been avoided.'

Anthony Barbour, managing director of The Bolesworth Estate, who own the site, defended the decision.

He said: 'It is our understanding that the proposal is for a microcell-based station. These operate at a very low power and are used to improve networks, especially where the volume of calls is high, as it is in the village.

'On order to allay any fears, we have requested that Orange arrange a drop-in session for residents, where they will be able to answer any questions.'

A spokesman for Orange stressed that the proposal meets all health and safety guidelines: 'We have made the design as sympathetic as possible - it has a single antenna and is covered so it cannot be seen.'

Kath said: 'I realise the Government states there is no health risk , but no one will really know for many years how safe such radiation is.'

Omega such radioation is not safe and this needs no years to say this. See under:
http://omega.twoday.net/topics/Wissenschaft+zu+Mobilfunk/
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Cancer+Cluster
http://www.buergerwelle.de/body_science.html

Residents have until September 24 to object.

editorial@hamhigh.co.uk
09 September 2005
Caroline McClatchey
Hamstead and Highgate Express

A PHONE mast has been erected in Kentish Town to ensure rail commuters get a better reception on their mobiles.

Mobile phone giants Orange installed the mast in a used car lot in Bartholomew Road on Monday morning.

Locals are furious as mobile phone company O2 is planning to install a 10 metre mast on the pavement in Oseney Crescent, yards away from the new mast.

Mother-of-three Annie Moser, of Gaisford Street, who is leading the campaign against the O2 mast, said: "It's disgraceful. This means there will be two masts within yards of each other.

"We didn't even have an opportunity to respond to the Orange mast. It still affects a lot of people. It's irresponsible of Camden Council, which knew about the local opposition to the O2 mast.

"The government is committed to encouraging mobile phone companies to use the same mast and Camden Council should have forced a joint application."

O2 bosses lodged their application after commuters travelling on Silverlink trains near Kentish Town complained of a poor signal.

Jacqueline Sibanda, Orange's community liaison officer, said the firm had complied with the law and notified the council, ward councillors, and the nearby schools - Camden School for Girls and Torriano Infant and Junior.

She said: "The Orange site meets the permitted development requirements as it will have just one antenna and a small cabinet.

"It is part of a wider project at Orange to provide coverage on national rail routes so that commuters are able to use their phones whilst travelling into town or making their way home.

"The target coverage area is the Kentish Town tunnel."

More than 130 residents signed the petition against the O2 mobile phone mast, which will be placed near Cantelowes Gardens park if Camden Council gives it the go- ahead.

Mrs Moser added: "The area is densely populated and the mast will be an eyesore.

"Camden Council doesn't take health grounds as a valid reason to refuse masts but the government does say they need to be cautious about where they site masts.

"Surely a site near three schools is not a good place for a mast."

Camden Council will review the application after the consultation period has ended.

caroline.mcclatchey@hamhigh.co.uk

By Tom Warren Shropshire Star 08.09 .05

Angry Shropshire villagers today claimed contractors from mobile phone giant Orange had started work on a 50-foot mast near their homes without giving them any notice.

Residents of West Felton, near Oswestry, are now organising an urgent public meeting. They say they are concerned that the massive antenna will be a blot on the landscape and could pose a health risk.

The villagers say they knew nothing of the development until earlier this week when contractors moved on to the site.

But Oswestry Borough Council says Orange has done nothing wrong and went through all the proper legal channels in 2002 to get permission for the 15-metre 3G mast.

West Felton resident Pat Mabe said the parish council objected to the antenna three years ago, when the application was submitted, and they believed the plan had been shelved.

But this week villagers came across workmen on the field where the mast will go.

The parish council tried to stop contractors getting to the site by banning them using a dirt track owned by the village to access the field.

But the workmen were carrying on, she said.

Planning officer Tim Rogers said Orange had no obligation to tell people that work was starting on the mast because the application was dealt with three years ago.

New rules now mean that councils have to inform people near mast sites when they are about to be put up, he said.

No-one from Orange was available for comment today.

Chester Evening Leader 08 09 05

CAMPAIGNERS against plans to put a mobile phone mast in the heart of their Chester community are celebrating success.

Vodafone wanted to install a 12-metre pole and equipment box at the junction of Victoria Road and Victoria Crescent, near Chester Business School.

Residents said the mast would be an eyesore in an area under a conservation order and they said they were also worried about the health implications of living close to one.

But the company decided to withdraw its application after discussion with planning officers.

Jane Frapwell, electromagnetic field adviser for Vodafone, said: “This site is a conservation area. And after discussion with the local planning officer we decided it would be best to find an alternative site.”

She said the company still needed a mast in the area to boost coverage.

But residents and councillors who were against the plans also believe the strength of feeling against putting a base station, as they are officially called, there had some bearing on Vodafone’s decision to withdraw.

College ward councillor Sandra Rudd said: “We are delighted they withdrew the plans. I believe the strong objections raised by residents and the ward councillors have been a major contribution to this decision.

“I know the company needs a mast somewhere in this area so people can use their mobile phones, but this was an inappropriate development. This decision is a victory for residents.”

Other councillors to object included College ward’s Janet Black, and City and St Anne’s’ Gwyn Cooper.

Sep 8 2005

icAyreshire

By ERIC McGOWAN

MINISTERS are to have the final say on plans to erect a phone mast just 250 yards from Lawthorn Primary School.

North Ayrshire Council have been forced to refer the decision after receiving a bumper 129 objections to the proposal.

Planners gave the provisional nod for the 15 foot 3G mast to be put in place in Kames Court, Littlestane Road on Monday.

Now parents opposed to the plans are praying Scottish ministers will overturn the decision.

They argue that the mast could pose a risk to public health, is too close to the school, houses and parkland, is an eyesore, and could be a target for vandals.

They claim there is no need for 3G services in the area and there are many alternative locations available.

But at Monday’s planning meeting councillors said the concerns were not valid reasons to refuse permission.

They also noted that many of the objectors lived some distance away from the proposed site.

They approved the plans on condition that the mast and its equipment be situated a minimum of 450mm from the roadside and that within six months of the equipment becoming obsolete or redundant the mast must be removed.

Published: 8th September 2005

CONTROVERSIAL plans to erect a mobile mast on Manchester Old Road have been refused by Middleton’s councillors.

At a meeting of the Middleton Township Planning Sub-Committee planning permission to build a T-Mobile mast on ground in front of the West Croft Industrial Estate were knocked back on the grounds that such an erection could have an adverse effect on the local area.

However, not all members agreed with the decision. Councillor Ian Robertson, representing Middleton North, pointed out that many of those objecting to the mast on health grounds are more than happy to use televisions and mobile phones, both of which emit radiation.

He said: “On the one hand you want the technology, but on the other hand you don't want the mast in your back garden.”

A representative from T-Mobile also told the committee that the proposed mast would fit in with local street furniture, standing in between existing streetlamps of a similar height, and that the company had also rejected other proposed sites as they were closer to residential areas.

It was pointed out that erecting this mast near an existing one that already stands just 30m from the proposed site would not encourage further masts to be built, but instead decrease the likelihood as phone companies could come together and use each other’s technology.

Nevertheless, an entourage of approximately 15 objectors put forward a case that helped to convince the committee that such a mast was not wanted in Rhodes, due to fears that it may affect both the health of locals and house prices.

Objectors also expressed concern Rochdale Council had not adequately consulted locals, although a planning officer stated that the council had actually gone beyond its requirements by sending letters to the most-affected residents.

Speaking against the plans, Councillor Peter Williams said: “The issue should be that the committee believes that the concentration of masts in areas such as this would be detrimental to the street scene and detrimental to the area.

“This site is right adjacent to a local amenity, in Alkrington Woods, and I don't believe that the developer has looked at other sites properly.”


First published by the Middleton Guardian