Jun 29 2005

Ayrshire Post

SOUTH Ayrshire Council’s planning committee were expected to approve plans for a Vodafone communications mast in Ayr’s Doonholm Road at a meeting on Tuesday.

The 18 metre high mast satisfies guidelines guarding the public from safety issues such as radiation but attracted a handful of objections from local residents.

Concerns were also raised over the proposed mast’s close proximity to The Mote monument.

One resident said: “Purely commercial interests are involved in the siting of this mast not only from the point of view of Vodafone but also presumably from the point of view of the owner of the land who will receive around £8,000 to £10,000 per annum for allowing Vodafone to have a mast on this site.”

Fears were also raised over the effect of a mast on the heavily populated residential area which includes a primary school.

However, the council were expected to approve the plans in accordance with national guidance over safety issues.

Aberystwyth Today

A MOBILE phone company which unlawfully put up a mast in Aberystwyth last week has spoken of its plans to put another on top of Bronglais hospital. The movements of Hutchison 3G came to light last week after Llanbadarn councillor Paul James started to investigate concerns of residents. The company erected a 15-metre mast in the yard of Clynderwen and Cardiganshire Farmers store at Parcy-Llyn overnight on Tuesday without planning permission. Cllr James described the company as “midnight commandos,” and their actions as “very cloak and dagger” and officials in Ceredigion County Council’s Planning Department were baffled by the sudden appearance. Hutchison 3G revealed late on Wednesday that they had not applied for planning permission but intended to. A spokesperson for the company also spoke of their plans to erect two other masts in the town, one on the roof of Bronglais Hospital and another on the town’s police station. Verity Stanford of Hutchison 3G said: “The current mast site is a temporary one, but we are hoping to install two permanent masts in the town in the coming months. “The company has acted in a reasonable fashion in order to secure a temporary site in the area, we are submitting a planning application which will allow local residents to put their views on our proposal to the local planning authority.” “A four-metre mast at Bronglais hospital we have planning for and there are plans for another at the police station, which we are in discussions for. “We will be applying for retrospective plan-ning permission on the temporary site. “It is important that we have a mast in the town as our customers currently have a limited service and cannot make data calls in Aberystwyth.” Cllr James responded: “Their actions are not responsible, in fact they are very irresponsible. “There is a lot of skullduggery going on. They are like midnight commandos, coming under the cover of darkness and erecting this mast.” Senior Planning Officer for Ceredigion County Council said of the temporary mast: “This was only brought to our attention on Wednesday. “This is classed as an unauthorised development and we do have powers to remove the mast. An enforcement officer from the council will visit the site and report back to us before a decision is made.” One nearby resident, Ifor Jones, who lives in Maes Mawr spoke of his disgust this week. “They can’t be able to get away with this, I am utterly disgusted. “It is so close to our houses and to Penweddig school, people are just dumb-founded. “It is an eye-sore and then there are the reported health issues. What I want to know is what the affects are in ten years time from living so close to a mast. “I noticed the mast on Wednesday morning and phoned Cllr Paul James immediately, he was down here in seconds.” Cllr James added: “My phone has been ring-ing itself off the hook from angry residents since this mast was put up. “The way it has been done it’s very underhanded. “I have spoken to the Farmers’ store and they seemed to be under the impression that Hutchison 3G had planning permission for this. “The people of Maes Mawr have had to put up with a lot, from boy racers to this, it has been hell for them. “I hope the mast is brought down so that we have a level playing field. Hutchison seem to have the upper hand at the moment.” Chief Executive of County Stores Keith Gosney said: “The situation with us is simple. “We were approached by Hutchison 3G and we said it was fine to put up a mast on our land, so long as they satisfied the local authority’s planning procedures. “There seems to be a misconception on the part of Hutchison in relation to planning rules in Ceredigion. “I can assure people that the mast will remain inactive until a planning decision has been reached.” Spokesman for Bronglais hospital Brian Thomas said: “I can confirm that permission has been granted to erect a telephone mast on the hospital roof. “The frequency Hutchison 3G will run off is outside that of medical equipment and will not cause any disruption.”

Sunderland Today

PLANS to put a 50ft-high mast next to one of Sunderland's most stunning landmarks have been unveiled by mobile phone bosses.

T-Mobile claim there are telephone reception problems in Sunderland city centre, so wants to build a 15-metre high communications mast next to Sunderland Minster.

And it seems church leaders are happy with the plan, which will improve services for phone users with 3G technology – mobiles that allow video conferencing between callers.

Canon Stephen Taylor today calmed fears about the mast plans.
He said: "The mast is not something that is going to block anybody's view of the minster. As I understand, it will look like and function as a flagpole."

If planning permission is approved, the mast would stand next to other flagpoles close to the steps into the minster's grounds and have three antennas inside it.

Mr Taylor said: "I, personally, don't have any problem about the mast and if we all want to use mobile telephone technology then there has to be masts."

T-Mobile was offering the diocese rent for siting the mast, but no sum had been agreed and the money will be ploughed back into church work, said Mr Taylor.

He added he was aware of health issues surrounding masts but said these were still to be proven beyond any doubt.

The minster had followed Church of England guidelines on the application and the Sunderland diocese's advisory committee is still considering T-mobile's bid.

Church neighbour and minster worker Robert Jones, of the Mowbray Alms Houses, said: "I am objecting because it is too close to my front door. I know people say there's no health risks but nobody really knows for sure."

The minster is in councillor Jim Hollern's ward, who said: "I am okay with the plan, it will be partly hidden by trees, health fears are not proven and it is providing a service by giving better receptions."

Omega health fears are proven. See further under: http://www.buergerwelle.de/body_science.html

T-Mobile has two other city centre masts in Sunderland with one in Hendon and one next to the Queen Alexandra Bridge.

29 June 2005

BBC News website 28.06.05

A GP who has been fighting for three years to have a phone mast moved from near her home has been told she cannot take her case to the House of Lords.

Three law lords have refused permission for Dr Christine Nunn to challenge a Court of Appeal ruling but have not given any reasons for their decision.

The doctor, who lives in Bardsey, near Leeds, and her neighbours say the T-Mobile mast is a health hazard.

The mast was allowed because Leeds City Council bungled planning procedures.

In February, the appeal judges told the protestors the only remedy open to them was to claim damages from the council which lodged their notice of objection one day after the statutory 56-day period had elapsed.

Property values

Dr Nunn and her neurosurgeon husband Geoff moved into the Old Vicarage in the village before the mast was built just 120 yards from their home.

Their legal battle began when the Nunns and their neighbours tried to protest at a planning inquiry that, as well as health implications, the mast would hit property values.

But the inquiry inspector said he had no power to hear their case because Leeds City Council had failed to act within the time limit.

This prompted the Bardsey residents to take the case to the Court of Appeal and then the attempt to go to the House of Lords.

Dr Nunn said on Monday she was not surprised at the decision by the law lords and there would have been problems in paying the legal bills, estimated at £30,000.

She added that the protestors would be meeting officers from Leeds City Council next week in the hope that the council might still be able to issue an order that the phone mast should be taken down.

Milton Keynes Today

A MOBILE phone operator who placed a mast just yards from a nursery, youth club and the local MP's home, has faced fury from residents.

Residents say Hutchison 3G has exploited a loophole in the law which means it can place the mast on top of Olney Fire Station's training tower without planning permission because it is less than 15m tall.

Jeremy Rawlings, the chairman of the neighbouring Olney Youth Club, said: "The way Three have behaved in this matter is totally indefensible because they gave an assurance to Milton Keynes Council they would look at all sites but have gone ahead with it without any consultation."

Hutchison had asked Milton Keynes Council last year for suggestions for sites in the town, but when it gave 28 days notice in April that it was going to place the mast on top of the training tower of the fire station in East Street, the proposal was met with universal opposition.

Milton Keynes Council asked Hutchison to reconsider, and the firm said it would think about it.

Residents thought that was the end of the matter until they saw work starting at the site two weeks ago.

Kevin Viney, who lives on East Street , said: "The loophole is if they put the aerial at the height they wished to, they would have required full planning permission. But by conveniently putting it on a disused structure they did not need to do any more than inform Milton Keynes Planning Department."

MP Mark Lancaster, who described it as an anomaly in the law, said: "It is ironic it is just yards from my house but I can assure you that Conservative Party policy has not changed since I moved there. "We think masts like this should require planning permission."

Olney councillor Graham Mabbutt was also furious that Hutchison 3G had ignored the town council's wishes and penned a 10-year contract with Bucks Fire Authority, thought to be worth tens of thousands of pounds.

Cllr Mabbutt said: "What I find unsavoury more than anything is the action of the Bucks Fire Authority not consulting with us or finding out what our policy on it was."

The fire service, which is embarrassed by development, said it will meet with the council and Hutchison 3G.

Gareth Coombes-Olney, Hutchison 3G's corporate affairs manager, said the mast meets safety and technical requirements.

"Hutchison have not done anything wrong, they are entitled to build it," he added.

richard.cooper@mkcitizen.co.uk

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Loophole in the law: Calls for `illegal' phone mast veto

The telecommunications industry often does not even bother to seek planning permission, as these examples from the Worcester Evening News show, they just show up and install after dark, or on a Friday afternoon when the council and planning have gone on weekend, or they call it “TEMPORARY MAST”.

The sloppy and biased wording of John Prescott’s PPG8 allows them to believe that they alone have inherited the earth, and they make full use of that.

Can anyone explain to me why the Government bothered to concoct the mobile industries “Code of best conduct” when it was never intended to be used, there are no repercussions for not following ANY of the guidelines it gives, so it is totally safe for the industry to ignore it, which of course they do.

Is this just one more of from the heap of the Governments Useless Paperwork, which has cost a fortune to produce, but was never intended to be followed??

Best regards.
Agnes .
http://www.mast-victims.org/


First published on Thursday 04 November 2004:

Calls for `illegal' phone mast veto

A MOBILE phone mast has been put up in a village near Droitwich without planning permission or consultation.

The Vodafone third generation (3G) mast appeared - to villagers' amazement - in a private field in Salwarpe.

But residents say they are outraged that the communications giant has no planning permission for the transmitter and that it failed to let anyone know it was erecting the mast last week.

"I have received many letters from residents who are very angry about this," said Wychavon councillor, Andrew Christian-Brookes.

"If a member of the public builds a house without permission, Wychavon District Council would use the law to stop them and force them to take it down.

"No resident could build a house and then say `it's OK, we will come back in six months with a planning application'.

"There cannot be a rule for one, and one for another. Vodafone must stick to rules like everyone else."

Villagers had at first believed that farm building work was going on but then a 50ft mast appeared.

Mr Christian-Brookes said that he and residents would now be officially objecting to the mast and hoped that legal action would be taken against Vodafone.

Principal area planning officer for Wychavon, Mike Hurst, confirmed the council had received a letter from Vodafone asking for planners' views on a possible mast but that no permission had been granted.

"We are aware of the mast. Vodafone has jumped the gun and we are now investigating the situation," he said.

A spokesman for Vodafone said the antenna was only a temporary structure but said the company would be applying for planning permission for a permanent mast to be put up somewhere on the site.

"The mast is in a rural area and tall trees around the area minimise its visual impact," said the spokeswoman.

Farmer and owner of the land, Mike Davis, said he did not wish to comment on the issue.


First published on Wednesday 09 February 2005:
Second mobile phone mast for golf course on the cards

A SECOND mobile phone mast is likely to be put up on Tolladine Golf Course.

Vodafone has put in a planning application for a mast disguised as a fir tree to improve its mobile coverage.

*** It follows criticisms the company received from the city council after it put up a temporary mast without planning permission last year.

Residents in The Fairway, off Tolladine Road , complained because the mast was not disguised and needed a noisy generator to power it.

But the new mast will be some way from homes and disguised as a tree - although it will have a standby generator that will reach 60 decibels at night.

A similar mast, put up by mobile phone company 3, has been on the course for two years.


Floodgates:

Warndon Parish Council raised no objection to the latest plans, although member Frank Lauriello warned that it could set a precedent.

"This could open the floodgates so there could be more up there before long.

"What if Orange, for example, comes along and wants to put up a mast?

"It's very important that these things stay in keeping with the environment."

***A temporary mast, on the back of a trailer, was put up last November under cover of darkness prompting what

Worcester City Council's principal planning officer Peter Yates called an "exchange of views" between him and Vodafone.

The temporary mast was taken away and the new planning application has now been submitted.

The application will now go before Worcester City Council's planning committee for approval, taking into account the views of the parish council and other people affected.

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David.

The operators (and their bounty hunters, who are the people who deal with finding the sites and dealing with council planners) must give awfully good lunches and treats.

Just the way the planners use the language to intimidate and try and humiliate the people objecting shows how good education seminars the operators have given to council planners.

The planner in Worcester, Peter Yates is a real beauty, and I bet he also is a fast learner.

He is the head of the Worcester group of Amnesty International, and does a lot of work to get political prisoners in Korea out of jail and torture, but he has no compassion for his own people in Worcester.

I have wondered whether he does the Amnesty bit on grounds of bad conscience over how he treats his own.

Regards.

Agnes.

http://www.mast-victims.org

Please find below weblink on yesterday’s debate.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2005-06-28.345.1&s=phone+masts#g366.0

Bath Chronicle 28.06.05

11:00 - 28 June 2005

A Mobile phone company has failed to overturn a council's decision to reject a plan for a 30-metre mast in a village near Bath. Telecommunications giant Orange has lost its appeal against the ruling by Bath and North East Somerset Council.

The firm had applied for permission to build the slimline tower, six antennae, four dish antennae and six equipment cabins on land at Shockerwick Farm, Box Road, Bathford.

Bathford Parish Council objected to the scheme, saying it would detract significantly from the natural beauty and unspoilt character of the area, and 12 letters of opposition were sent by local residents.

The application was refused by B &NES councillors at a meeting in September 2004 on the grounds that the mast would spoil the appearance of the rural area, which is in the Green Belt.

And a Government planning inspector has now dismissed the appeal, agreeing the proposal would be inappropriate in the Green Belt. The inspector also said the structure would introduce a noticeable and intrusive urban feature, detracting from the landscape.

He accepted the need for further network coverage in the area, and that some searching for alternatives had been carried out.

But he concluded it was inadequate, and that the need did not outweigh the harm that would be caused.

The inspector added that the case for very special circumstances had not been proved.

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Some councils across the UK are begining to say that it is a waste of time rejecting mast applications when the Inspectorate overturns their decision. This has happened in conservation areas and green belt. We have to somehow remind councils that both are still planning considerations! Any ideas?

Sandi

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Sandi

I have also heard of Councils who think it is a waste of time refusing mast applications in green belts and protected conservation areas - this Bath Appeal dismissal is a good one to use when writing to Councils displaying the 'apathetic mode'.

I think that letters also need to go to the Planning Inspectorate's Chief Executive pointing out its gross inconsistency in allowing/dismissing mast appeals in 'protected areas', and posting them copies of actual appeal notices (allowed/dismissed) as evidence.

I shall be writing to the Inspectorate's Chief Executive again, using this Bath result, complaining about what happened here in Otterton where an Inspector allowed a mast that was unanimously refused by the Council, in an AONB next to the first natural World Heritage Site in a Coastal Conservation area.

After all, in the Government's PPG8 these protected Conservation areas and AONB's are supposed to be given priority over all other development. How can the Inspectorate be taken seriously when they are making such rubbish decisions and not protecting these 'Government protected' areas?!

The Bath decision is a good one and shows what is possible - what we need now are more good Inspectors like that one - Appeals should not be such a worrying "lottery'!

Best wishes

Jane

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These are my views exactly, Jane, so perhaps we all need to send this to our local councils and to any area where this attitude prevails. We need to question this flouting of the planning laws, which are, all said and done, the laws of the land! Are we to become a lawless, undemocratic country under this present Government, at the mercy of mobile phone companies?

Sandi

Birmingham Evening Mail Jun 28 2005

By Paul Dale, Chief Reporter

Schools, old people's homes and children's playgrounds across Birmingham could get lucrative financial handouts if they agree to have controversial mobile phone masts sited on their land.

The idea stems from a city council scrutiny inquiry into telecommunications policy, which is recommending ending a temporary 17-month ban on placing masts on local authority land or buildings.

In return for agreeing to have a mast, governors would get at least half of the annual rental to boost school funds. With annual leasing fees topping £10,000, schools could make £50,000 for a ten-year contract.

Council-run old people's homes would be offered a similar deal.

Rental from masts on council housing estates and playgrounds would be used to improve community facilities.

The proposition was condemned last night by a leading anti-mast campaigner.

Eileen O'Connor, from Sutton Coldfield, said schools and residential homes would be tempted to make money without properly considering health risks.

Mrs O'Connor said: "They will be encouraged by the telecommunications industry to take the offer and then foolishly suffer the consequences."

Mrs O'Connor, a cancer sufferer who believes her illness was worsened by radiation from masts, was saddened that the council was likely to end the ban on siting masts on local authority property.

She said: "I sat through every one of the scrutiny committee hearings and there was no evidence given that masts are safe. They are likely to accelerate the growth of tumours in people who already have them.

"If the committee hearings had been a court of law, the telecommunications industry would have been found guilty. I just don't know how the council can lift the ban when there is so much uncertainty about mobile phones and health risks."

The council already has lease agreements with mobile phone companies at 134 sites across the city under contracts approved before the ban came into force. Most masts are placed on high-rise flats and offices.

Scrutiny committee chairman Mick Wilkes insisted that Birmingham would not become a "soft touch".

The committee's recommendations stipulate that the ban should only be lifted if mobile phone operators agree to independent checks on the operation of the masts.

Proposals include: * Independent audits of emissions to ensure radiation safety levels are not exceeded * Regular inspections to make sure masts conform to the original specification supplied * Development of a standard lease agreement enabling the contracts to be terminated should future research show masts to have adverse health effects.

Omega: research shows already that masts have adverse health effects. See under:
http://www.buergerwelle.de/body_science.html

Coun Wilkes (Lib Dem, Hall Green) said Birmingham was planning the most stringent conditions on the siting of masts anywhere in the country. Other councils would probably follow suit.

He stressed the council could not ignore the popularity of mobile phones and the requirement of the business community to benefit from easier communication. Birmingham could not afford to have "black holes" where mobile phones could not work.

At the same time, it was necessary to recognise public concern about health risks.

He added: "We are proposing a very strict regime with tough checks. The conditions we require are the most exacting to be found anywhere."

Coun Wilkes pointed out that, if the ban were to continue, mobile phone companies would take advantage of Government planning guidelines to site masts on privately-owned land or next to roads. The council would in that case be powerless to prevent the uncontrolled expansion of masts.

"Not only would we have less control, but the distribution of masts and possibly the numbers may be worse," he added.

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Self regulating a self certificating mobile phone companies kept under stringent controls?

What madness is this? And we need coverage for 3G which is causing harm much more quickly that 2G? We are heading into dangerous waters again.

Sandi

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"Strict and tough?" I can't see how that fits anything said here ...

Andy

The Citizen Gloucestershire

10:30 - 28 June 2005

An anti-mast campaigner has condemned as "monstrous" plans to erect a mobile phone mast close to two Stroud schools.

Mast Sanity spokeswoman Lynne Edmunds said it was "totally unacceptable" that Vodafone had applied to put up a third generation antennae on the pavement between two bus stops in Merrywalks. The 12m-high mast would tower over the Rosary Primary School and St Rose's Special School , said Miss Edmunds.

"It is the worst plan since the Tetras (police system) four years ago," said Miss Edmunds, who is concerned about possible ill-effects the health of local pupils.

"Vodafone clearly pays no attention to the vulnerability of children," she said.

But Vodafone spokeswoman Jane Frapwell said: "We are talking here about very low-powered devices - about as powerful as a light bulb.

"They have to be stationed where mobile phone users are. If we put it on a hill outside of Stroud it would only cover the hill."

Ms Frapwell said: "There are guidelines designed to protect all sectors of the public."

A few months ago Miss Edmunds and Mast Sanity backed a protest that blocked proposals for a similar Hutchison 3G mast near The Shrubberies, a special school in Stonehouse.

The Merrywalks mast would be only 175 metres from St Rose's and 120 metres from The Rosary, said Miss Edmunds.

Miss Edmunds said she feared radiation from the mast would also affect bus passengers.

Stroud District Council senior planning officer Andrew Case said the Vodafone application was already out to public consultation.

Regulations stated representations could be made about its site and appearance until a deadline of July 15.

Jun 28 2005

By Neil Elkes, Evening Mail Birmingham

CITY council chiefs today vowed they would not be a "soft touch" for the mobile phone industry by lifting a ban on masts.

The big five mobile phone companies, Vodafone, O2, 3, T-mobile and Orange are set to be able to put new masts on city offices, schools, leisure centres and tower blocks from November 1.

The controversial move was exclusively revealed in yesterday's Evening Mail.

But Coun Michael Wilkes (Lib Dem, Hall Green), who chaired the six-month inquiry into masts amid fears they cause ill-health, insisted that the lifting of the ban would give the city greater control over the sites, locations and output of masts in Birmingham.

He said: "If this policy is endorsed, further masts will only be erected on council land and premises on the council's terms and we will not be a soft touch.

"The conditions we require are the most exacting to be found anywhere.

"I believe that this policy represents good sense and is in the best interests of Birmingham as whole."

They decided that by allowing masts, for example, on a high rise block, it would prevent three or four masts being sited on low level private land or roads in the same area.

Coun Wilkes added that if the ban continued masts would simply be displaced to unsuitable and less desirable privately-owned sites or roadsides where the council is powerless to control them.

A key consideration was the business community and the thousands of regular mobile phone users.

The Birmingham Chamber of Commerce feared that the city would lose its competitive edge and be seen as a technology "black hole" if the ban continued.

The Full Council will vote on the report on July 5.