Jul 11 2005

James Johnston,Teeside Evening Gazette

Residents are set to launch a fresh protest against a mobile phone company that built a mast on their doorsteps.

People on Stockton 's Bishopton Road West awoke to discover engineers from O2 had installed the 12m mast at the footpath outside the Rimswell pub.

They expected a slimline steel pole similar to a street light but were shocked at the mast - which has a 53-inch circumference - and are now lobbying Stockton Council and Stockton South MP Dari Taylor to have it removed.

Marilyn Temple, of Fairfield Road , said: "It has ruined the whole area. I can't believe that they would put this sort of thing in a residential area."

Last year protesters were overjoyed when Stockton Council rejected an application for a mast.

But the Government's planning inspectorate decided in favour of the telecommunication company.

William Thompson, 83, of Fairfield Road , said: "We think the engineers came at about five or six in the morning to put it up. It's just a sneaky way to stop any protests.

A spokeswoman for O2 said they follow strict procedures when installing equipment and work with the Highways Agency to avoid traffic problems.

"The apparatus is a 12m street furniture-style column, which has been built in accordance with the permission granted to O2.

"The installation of the pole took place at a time which would cause minimal disruption to pedestrians and vehicles."

BBC News Website

Angry residents who failed to stop a 12-metre phone mast being put up near a school, have staged a stand off with workers who moved in to clear the site.

Police had to ask the placard-waving protesters, who live near Byron Avenue in Winchester, Hampshire, to leave to allow work to begin at the site.

The protest came after residents, worried about potential health dangers, launched a High Court battle.

Mast owner Orange said such concerns were not backed by scientific evidence.

Omega such concerns are backed by scientific evidence. See under: http://www.buergerwelle.de/body_science.html

Angry resident Karen Barratt said: "We think it absolutely disgusting that this mast is going up.

"There is plenty of evidence that it causes severe health effects for people - whatever Orange and the Government say.

"It's far too close to the school and our children, my grandchildren are being put at risk."

The residents' challenge had been brought in the names of two children that live near the mast - Phoebe St Leger-Davey, six, and seven-year-old James Harrison.

Lawyers for the children had told the court that they lived and went to school within 250 to 300 metres of the mast site and within the "zone of greatest intensity of electromagnetic emissions".

'Insufficient scientific evidence'

But the Court of Appeal dismissed a challenge in December against a High Court judge's refusal to review government consent for the mast.

The case was also taken to the House of Lords but residents were refused leave to appeal.

Carmel O'Hara, from Orange , said: "Their concerns about health are not substantiated by any scientific evidence at this time.

Omega their concerns about health are substantiated by more than enough scientific evidence. See under: http://www.buergerwelle.de/body_science.html

"All our sites meet the strictest international guidelines.

Omega see under: "Base Stations, operating within strict national and international Guidelines, do not present a Health Risk" http://omega.twoday.net/stories/771911/

"Each of the High Court cases have been dismissed and therefore our consent has stood. We feel that it is time for us to implement the consent."

But another resident vowed: "We will pursue this and we will get that decision overturned."

DANIEL.EVANS@GRIMSBYTELEGRAPH.CO.UK

12:30 - 09 July 2005

Residents are in uproar over a site for a proposed mobile phone mast - on a grass verge.

Vodafone is consulting with the public as it tries to find a suitable site in Humberston's North Sea Lane for a base station to provide 3G coverage for mobile users. It will then decide whether or not to make a formal planning submission to North East Lincolnshire Council.

A grass verge at the junction of Carrington Drive and North Sea Lane has been earmarked for the 8m-high telegraph-style pole, with three antennae at the top.

But a petition has been signed by more than 100 people and posted to Mono, the consultants for Vodafone.

Father-of-four Michael Swift (47) has lived on North Sea Lane for five years, just metres away from the site.

He said: "The Government still hasn't done all the research into the effects of mobile phone masts.

"I would have safety concerns for my children and grandchild. It's also an eyesore and would lower the value of properties."

Vodafone says an existing tree there "will provide some screening of the installation from the residential properties to the south." and states in letters to nearby residents it "will not look out of character" with the rest of the telegraph poles and street lamps lining North Sea Lane .

Miles Davis (32) is another who lives within 20m of the proposed mast site. He has written letters of objection to the consultants and the council's planning department.

"It's rather silly of them to put it so close to the houses when the health effects are unproved and it's an unsolved issue," he said.

Omega the health effects are proved. See under:
http://www.buergerwelle.de/body_science.html

"The tree will not prevent it being clearly visible."

His mother Wynette (67) added: "I couldn't believe it when we got the letter. Nobody round here wants it to happen."

Patricia Barrs prepared the petition to record her own and many others' dismay.

"It's not been proven conclusively that they aren't harmful and that tree is hardly going to hide a mast."

North Sea Lane resident Chris Kershaw (35) fears for the effects it could have on his five and seven year old sons.

"It's not been proven either way that what is emitted from masts is harmful," he said.

Omega the harmful health effects are beeing conclusively proved. See under: http://www.buergerwelle.de/body_science.html

And neighbour Miriam Dawson added: "This is a rural area and it would ruin the ambience - it would be more than an eyesore."

http://www.omega-news.info/help_needed_for_leicester_tower_block.htm

I am really concerned about Elizabeth House, Leicester, and the people who are living there, one of whom called the advice line. It is 25 floors high with multi masts on the roof (one with 12 antennae) and two TETRA masts nearby. There is a new application in for an 02 6 antenna 3G. When Phil Hendy rang me he was almost out of time to put in objection letters and he has no phone or computer. I wrote an objection letter and posted it to him so he could get support for it from other residents.

He suffers from the sleep disruption and many other things, but fights on. He collected 100 signatures from the 150 residents for the planning objection letter, but I have learnt that the objection letter I wrote is not enough. I have gone to David and Chris Maile to find some way to make new representation, but Phil is too ill now to collect more signatures. I have written to ask if this last objection point can be included with the 100 signatures, but do not know if it will be allowed.

So I thought if I could get others to send it in on their behalf we might swing it.

I would be grateful if some of you could send in something based on, or the exact copy of what I have posted below and send it to stuart.winter@leicester.gov.uk .

I know this is not the norm, but this block of flats is not the norm, nor is planning the norm anymore, and there are lots of sick people here. I would be very grateful as the local rag diluted it all in the PR sent to them by Mast Sanity.

Sandi


Here is the planning wording.

Ref: Planning Application No. 20051122 02 (UK) Ltd 6 antennae pole and cabinets on the roof of Elizabeth House, London Road, Leicester LE2 0QP

I would like this application refused on the grounds of intensity of use in a residential area; the adverse effect to the amenity of the locality; and possibly on the grounds of conflict of policy.

Elizabeth House lies alongside Victoria Park, which is a protected conservation area. Two of the existing masts are already visible to passers-by, residents of the block, and from Victoria Park. They are described by some people as an eyesore.

To add more masts would create further clutter and ugliness to the visual aspect of this predominant block of flats, and therefore to the neighbourhood, part of which is a conservation area.

Even if the proposed 02 masts are mounted at the rear of the building, some of them will still be very visible from Victoria Park, breaking the natural eye-line of Elizabeth House, the sky line, and the panoramic view.

Any extension or increase in the clutter on the roof will have a dramatic effect upon the skyline, and both the medium and long term view of the building takes away from the amenity of, and the general well-being of, residents in the area and visitors to Victoria Park.

Whilst a single, or even two installations might be acceptable to any given location, the increase to a third or fourth, or more, can effectively be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

PPG8 para 14 makes it clear that visual intrusion is an important question in the siting of masts, and para 20 states "Authorities will need to consider the cumulative impact upon the environment of additional antennas sharing a mast or masts sharing a site"

A clear policy of a need, whilst on the one hand to reduce the number of sites, but on the other that it is not a question of forever piling on the installation after installation, but that some cumulative effect will be a legitimate ground for a refusal of an application.

The general thrust of PPG8 is that of finding the best environmental solution on a case by case basis, therefore in this particular case there is strong evidence to suggest that further installations would be inappropriate due to the considerable negative impact on the amenity of the area and in the general well-being of residents in the area and visitors to Victoria Park. It is abundantly clear that the existence of any additional masts on this building will cause considerable long term stress and anxiety amongst the residents and in so doing will have a significant and unacceptable effect on the amenity.

--------

Dear Gill,

Chris Maile was alive, well, and teasing me the last time I saw him a few weeks ago, although I think he had been ill previously, so did you get confused with Phil Hendy? Phil Hendy lives in Elizabeth House, Leicester, and although unwell himself, still campaigns as much as he is able to. He appears to be the only one still determined to try to do something.

Thank you for sending the letter to Leicester City Council, the residents and I appreciate it very much. Would it be possible for you to send me a copy of Cherry on Melatonin and the Coleshill School symtoms please. I may soon have Nalia translated into English if anyone wants a copy.

I am really sorry to hear about your village, Gill. I didn't realise. I have been skimming through a lot of stuff because I have been so busy, so did I miss it before?

I am just unravelling another cluster case on a club, similar to Leeds that we did earlier in the year. I really feel determined to expose all this sickness because it gives me heartache and I get coldly angry about the injustice of it all. If your village needs exposure I will try for you. Just email me SandraLwr@aol.com

Sandi

by Chris Greenwood
York Today

A MOBILE phone mast row is set to be decided next week when councillors consider plans for two in the Fulford area of York .

T-Mobile have applied for permission of a 14.7-metre telecommunications pole with three antennae at the junction of Broadway and Heslington Lane, and for an identical pole in Heslington Lane opposite the former Fairways Garden Centre.

City of York Council officers are recommending that no objections should be raised to the Broadway application, saying it would not cause undue harm to public health, residential amenity or the area's character and appearance.

But they are recommending refusal for the other proposal, saying it is inappropriate in the Green Belt and would cause harm to the area's character and appearance.

However, Coun Keith Aspden, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Fulford, is calling for the east area planning and transport committee, which meets next Thursday, to vote the other way round.

He told the Evening Press there had been a long-running battle by local residents over a number of years to keep telecommunications poles away from their houses, and only one of the schemes needed approval to give the network the coverage it required.

He said all residents were very concerned about the impact of poles on their area, but if they were required, the correct sites must be selected.

Coun Aspden said: "The application opposite the former garden centre has much more public support - across all political parties in Fulford - and I hope that the planning committee rejects the officers' recommendation of refusal for this site."

He said the site was preferable to the Broadway scheme because it would have a lower impact on the living conditions of people nearby, as it would be 80 metres away instead of next to their homes.

He said: "We need to work with residents on telecommunication applications not against them."

Officers said seven objections had been received to the Broadway scheme, claiming the mast would be an eyesore, lower the values of nearby properties and be too close to playing areas and homes.

However, the other scheme had received only one objection, saying that the mast would harm Walmgate Stray, but three letters had been received in support, saying it would be further away from homes.

DANIEL EVANS
DANIEL.EVANS@GRIMSBYTELEGRAPH.CO.UK

12:30 - 09 July 2005

Residents are in uproar over a site for a proposed mobile phone mast - on a grass verge.

Vodafone is consulting with the public as it tries to find a suitable site in Humberston's North Sea Lane for a base station to provide 3G coverage for mobile users. It will then decide whether or not to make a formal planning submission to North East Lincolnshire Council.

A grass verge at the junction of Carrington Drive and North Sea Lane has been earmarked for the 8m-high telegraph-style pole, with three antennae at the top.

But a petition has been signed by more than 100 people and posted to Mono, the consultants for Vodafone.

Father-of-four Michael Swift (47) has lived on North Sea Lane for five years, just metres away from the site.

He said: "The Government still hasn't done all the research into the effects of mobile phone masts.

"I would have safety concerns for my children and grandchild. It's also an eyesore and would lower the value of properties."

Vodafone says an existing tree there "will provide some screening of the installation from the residential properties to the south." and states in letters to nearby residents it "will not look out of character" with the rest of the telegraph poles and street lamps lining North Sea Lane.

Miles Davis (32) is another who lives within 20m of the proposed mast site. He has written letters of objection to the consultants and the council's planning department.

"It's rather silly of them to put it so close to the houses when the health effects are unproved and it's an unsolved issue," he said.

Omega the health effects are proved and it's a solved issue. See under: http://www.buergerwelle.de/body_science.html

"The tree will not prevent it being clearly visible."

His mother Wynette (67) added: "I couldn't believe it when we got the letter. Nobody round here wants it to happen."

Patricia Barrs prepared the petition to record her own and many others' dismay.

by Sara Dixon
Wanstead and Woodford Guardian

PLANS to erect a mobile phone mast in South Woodford have been thrown out by councillors on the regional planning committee.

The five members of the committee voted overwhelming against the 15-metre telecommunication pole which phone company O2 wants to put up outside Waitrose in the High Road.

A letter sent by the company said that it needed to put up the pole, which was higher than the surrounding street lights, in order to provide proper transmission coverage for both second and third generation phones after a mast on the nearby Queen Mary and Westfield site came down following re-development plans.

The letter said the company had looked for alternative sites, but had discounted putting it near Carnarvon Road , where residents believe the high number of radiation-emitting transmitters was responsible for the high amount of cancer cases in the street.

Also Odeon Cinemas, which has a blanket ban on phone masts on its property, said no to the request for a mast to be put on the South Woodford cinema.

That left O2 with the option of the site near the North Circular, a plan which the committee rejected last week.

But just six weeks ago the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol upheld an appeal from T-Mobile, giving it the go-ahead for a mast on land next to the bowling club in Aldersbrook Road, Wanstead.

This came after Redbridge councillors originally said no and councillor Richard Hoskins believes O2 will also appeal.

He said: "I'm prepared to get into trouble on appeal. I'm sure the planning officers will think we're being irresponsible."

After discussing the public's health concerns about the radiation pumped out by the masts cllrs Richard Hoskins, Felicity Banks, Sue Nolan and Allan Burgess refused the application on grounds that the pole would be visually intrusive and make an already cluttered streetscape worse.

sdixon@london.newsquest.co.uk

3:00pm Friday 8th July 2005



Cancer Clusters in Vicinity to Cell-Phone Transmitter Stations
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/580224/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/feature/story/0,,1063484,00.html

This article was in the Guardian in October 2003, pointed out by a helpline caller. I wonder if anything was ever done - or whether the phone companies took control?

Sylvia

Some places are joining up, Agnes, and we encourage it at Mast Sanity. Some advice line callers keep a look out, and give advice to neighbouring areas and even helping at times, or they pass on our details to them. A very old lady who had no computer, phoned me last night to tell me that they had won, and that she was going to keep watch and pass on details of Mast Sanity to others, even if she had to catch the bus, or walk a way! She is 80+ With people like this, we will unite eventually!

Sandi

--------

Sylvia.

THE ONLY WAY WE CAN BEAT THEM IS IF WE ALL JOIN FORCES

Just think of the massive amount of people who are trying to fight them off, usually on local plan.

The target us by house, street, village etc, and always make sure it is on a very local plan, with very few objectors, who they, with the help of the local planners can intimidate us out, because the people in the next street are not concerned, because it is only our Street who is having this thing installed, and not theirs.(luckily).

And, if you think Global, just imagine!

So, Yes we NEED to join forces, ALL OF US.

Now we are like this!!!!

And that ain´t good!!!

So, that needs to be changed.

Shoreham Herald, Sussex

A group formed to fight plans to put a mobile phone mast outside homes in north Shoreham won the first round of its battle on Monday.

Shoreham Community Residents Against Masts (SCRAM) was set up by leading protester Rod Hotton, whose home in Downsway would have directly faced the mast.

Mr Hotton, now chairman of SCRAM, held a protest meeting in his garden, got residents to sign protest letters and lobbied the council in a bid to get its support.

Although T-Mobile did not technically need planning permission for its proposed, 11-metre mast on the junction of Downsway and Upper Shoreham Road, because it was under 15 metres high, Adur councillors unanimously voted to refuse it after stating it was detrimental to the area and would endanger traffic on a busy road junction.

Member Janet Mockridge said: "This is a totally inappropriate site for a phone mast. It will spoil a green, leafy environment and would stand in isolation in the area."

Mr Hotton, speaking from a packed public gallery, spoke on behalf of the objectors, after Adur council revealed it had received 328 letters of objection from residents against the mast.

Mr Hotton urged the council to use its best endeavours to get the law and planning guidelines changed, as he claimed the current rules and regulations were biased in favour of the telecommunications companies.

After the meeting, Mr Hotton said: "Although the first battle has been won, SCRAM are expecting an appeal by T-Mobile, despite suggesting several feasible alternative sites.

"SCRAM are already preparing their case for the next stage and are also prepared to take the fight all the way to the European courts, if necessary."

07 July 2005