Exeter Express and Echo
BY CHRIS MILLS

12:00 - 25 May 2005
Mobile phone giants were having talks on controversial plans for more masts in Exeter at a crunch meeting with city planners today. Vodafone and 3G have been invited by the city council to outline their siting proposals for their so-called third generation phone networks.

Both companies claim they need new sites to meet their licence commitment to provide 3G coverage to most of the UK by 2006.

Exeter's head of planning services, Richard Short, and director of economy and development, John Rigby, together with city councillors, were involved in the meeting with representatives of Vodafone and 3G.

Vodafone's plan to put up a new 3G mast on Heavitree Road close to the city's maternity unit and several schools has already run into fierce opposition. More than 700 people have signed an Echo petition calling on the company to look elsewhere.

Today's meeting was expected to concentrate on the companies' plans, the possibility of sharing sites and the role of public consultation.

A council spokesman said: "The two main operators agreed to speak to councillors and will be asked to outline their network plans and justify their proposals."

The council has been involved in mast rows before, blocking several applications citing the health fears of local residents.

However, the authority has also lost appeals before Whitehall inspectors on the grounds that health risk was not a valid reason for objections to be made if the proposed mast emissions were within international guidelines.

Anti-mast campaigners are urging local authorities and the Government to stand up to the mobile phone giants.

Chris Maile, of pressure group Mast Sanity, said: "The planning guidelines are simply not working. We need strong guidelines and stronger controls, too, with the ability to remove inappropriately sited masts already in place."

Both 3G and Vodafone insist that all their new masts will operate well within current international limits.

The Mobile Operators' Association says more sites are needed, particularly in urban areas, to set up the new networks. A spokesman said: "To satisfy increasing customer demand for mobile services or to improve call quality, more base stations have to be built in busy areas.

"Site and mast sharing by operators is and will remain a priority. However, it is not always possible to share masts and there may be good environmental reasons for not doing so."

The Echo's Shock Waves campaign is demanding more research into the health effects of masts, that they should emit at the lowest possible level, and that there should be a full audit of output from all masts.

Renfrewshire

FURY has erupted over plans by a mobile phone company to build a mast at Paisley's biggest and best-known park.

T-Mobile wants to put up the mast with three antennae on Glasgow Road, next to the fence of Barshaw Park.

But Sandra Miller, 47, a resident of nearby Alton Road, is horrified at the prospect of the mast being erected so close to the park and houses, claiming it would mean a loss of amenity and pose a health hazard from radiation.

She said: "To put this mast up right beside a place where children are playing is just ridiculous.

"I'd say it would also be less than 20 metres from my house, which is far too close.

"It would be unsightly and it would be a health hazard.

"I also think it would affect road safety because drivers would be distracted by it."

Mrs Miller has now written a two-page letter to Renfrewshire Council objecting to T-Mobile's plans and outlining her concerns.

In a 'Neighbour Notice" issued to residents, T-Mobile says it wants to erect a 11.7-metre "slimline streetworks monopole", supporting three antennae, and with a "shroud" covering.

This is the type of disguised mast that's similar in looks to a lamppost, and is intended to blend in with existing street furniture.

David Moore, 32, who also lives in the area added: "This is a disgrace. It should not be put up close to a public park."

Local councillor Brian Lawson said: "Irrespective of what it looks like, I still don't think it is an appropriate place to put it.

"It would not be ideal to have this outside your front door."

T-Mobile's application will now go before Renfrewshire Council's planning committee for consideration in the near future.

A spokesman for the mobile phone company said: "T-Mobile understands that there can be concerns within local communities when locating base stations, however with over 60 million mobile phone in the UK there is a need to develop our network to provide quality service to our customers.

"Base stations are low-powered radio transmitters, and it is important to recognise that the radio frequency signal from them represents just one source of radio frequency in everyday lives.

"Other sources in the environment include paging devices and emergency services communication systems.

"The radio waves from nearby base stations are favourably comparable to exposure from distant masts and from TV and FM radio and other transmitters.

"Based on over 40 years of research, T-Mobile is confident that its base stations - operating within strict national and international guidelines recognised by the World Health Organisation - do not present a health risk to any member of the public."

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http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Cancer+Cluster

The spokesman added: "As people are increasingly using their mobile phones in their homes, this means that we need to position base stations in or closer to residential areas.

"As you will appreciate, the options available to us in such areas are very restricted."

00:00, May 25 2005

By Mandy Little, Greenwich Mercury

A PARTIAL victory is being celebrated by campaigners battling to prevent a mobile phone mast being sited near a school for disabled children.

The National Planning Inspectorate has told Greenwich council it must repeat its notification procedure for four mast applications made by O2 close to Charlton School.

The inspectorate agreed with campaigners that the consultation should be widened to make sure that all concerned parties have their say.

The communications giant appealed after the council turned their application down last October.

Residents opposed to the plans set up an action group, Charlton Residents Against the Mast (CRAM), and penned a 15 page letter to the inspectorate complaining about the consultation process.

Although the council fulfilled its legal obligations it initially only notified 67 houses in Charlton Park Road.

This was due to errors with the original application by 02 which failed to recognise the sensitivity of the siting.

A spokesman for the inspectorate said: "We have told the council that they must re-notify just to be sure that all interested parties have had a proper period of time - four weeks to comment.

"Then the appeal will carry on as normal."

Henry Gilbey from CRAM said: "It's a victory for us but we are not stopping here.

"We are pushing to have a full public hearing for the appeals. The issues need to be aired in public."

A spokesman for the council said that more letters will be sent out to a wider consultation area.

Evening Times Glasgow

THE FIGHT to keep a mobile phone mast away from a hospital and school has reached a stalemate.

Pollok families in Glasgow's south side have picketed the site at the junction of Kempsthorn Road and Crookston Road, and no mast has been built.

Bosses at O2 were given permission for a 56ft mast in March.

Campaigners argued its location near houses, a school and Leverndale Hospital was unsuitable.

The Evening Times reported that as workmen arrived on site, so did the campaigners.

For six weeks, mums, dads, children and even grandparents staged a peaceful protest, supported by local councillor Keith Baldassara. Councillor Baldassara said: "I would assume it's stalemate as they've not come back out. "But as soon as they do we will be there."

O2 are "re-assessing" the situation.

Conservative councillor for Slideslow, Caroline Spencer, has hit out after an inquiry to Bromsgrove District Council by mobile phone firm T-mobile.

The company consulted the council's planning department about building a base station and a 15-metre phone mast on the verge side of New Road, near to the end of Stonehouse Road.

T-mobile would not need planning permission for the development but does need to consult the council about their plans.

Cllr Spencer has already made her feelings clear about the site being earmarked.

She said: "It is next to a busy road and would be a health hazard. There is a footpath past the site that is used regularly by children early in the morning and late afternoon going to and from school.

"I just cannot understand why this location has been earmarked for a mast. It is the most unsuitable site one would look at."

Around 40 homeowners living near the site have also hit out at the plans by completing objection forms. At present 95 per cent of those asked by Cllr Spencer have expressed a total objection.

Bryan Walker, who lives in Stonehouse Road, added: "We don't want this site earmarked now or in the future. There is a very large concern nationally about the health risks."

Dave Hammond, from Bromsgrove District Council's planning department, said: "T-mobile have consulted us and asked for our opinion. We told them they would get opposition from residents and recommended they consider a site nearer Aston Fields Industrial Estate."

A spokesman for T-mobile said: "It is about a balance, we will be listening to residents and the council about their opinions and consulting with them.

"The majority of international research shows there is no link between mobile phone masts and ill health."

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and http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Cancer+Cluster

A Petition against more telecommunication equipment being added to the base station at Barry College has been started. The environmental impact and health issues are being cited as the prime causes of concern against the proposals by Vodaphone and O2, and local residents have already collected 450 signatures. They are also due to meet with John Smith MP tomorrow (Friday). A spokeswoman for the group of residents said: “We do not wish to have more equipment added to this eyesore of a mast. “Your home should be your sanctuary and my family have a right to live in a safe and tranquil environment.”

PLANS for mobile phone masts in Menston and Ilkley are being opposed by Ilkley parish council planners.

Ilkley Parish Council's plans committee say they would be against a speculative plan by Hutchison 3G to put up a mast at Ilkley Tennis Club.

And plans by another operator for a mast in a residential area of Menston have been withdrawn following parish councillors' decision to oppose the scheme.

Residents of Menston's Farnley Road protested against mobile phone network T Mobile's plan to put up a mast at the nearby Menston Social Club on Coultas Close.

They argued that the mast would spoil the appearance of the residential area and could lower house prices.

They also feared the unknown long-term effects on health, particularly that of children living nearby.

But T Mobile withdrew the plan on Friday.

Bradford councillor Chris Greaves (Con, Wharfedale) was also against the proposed mast. He said: "They obviously thought it wasn't a good idea and they were not going to get a sympathetic hearing."

He called for any future Menston mast plans by the company to be at a `sensible' site, in an area which would not be too intrusive.

Ilkley Parish Council recently announced its opposition to a number of proposed masts in Menston, including a full planning application 82-foot mast on high ground on the outskirts of the village. Chairman of the plans committee, Councillor Kate Brown, said there had been a lot of letters from residents objecting to the Coultas Close mast.

Meanwhile, the parish council has also learned that another mobile phone company, Hutchison 3G, has moved its attention from Ilkley's Golden Butts Road to Ilkley Tennis Club, on Stourton Road.

And although there is already a mast at the club, parish councillors said they would oppose putting up another mast there. Hutchison, recently highlighted Christopher Binns Funeral Directors on Golden Butts Road as its preferred site for a mast in Ilkley. Residents living nearby protested, and Binns announced it had considered and rejected Hutchison's proposal.

In a consultation letter it sent to homes on Golden Butts Road, Hutchison said it had looked at a number of possible sites for a mast in Ilkley, including several churches, the historic Myddelton Lodge, and Ilkley Tennis Club.

The parish council has now been sent an initial consultation letter from Hutchison, asking for views on the possibility of putting up a new mast at the tennis club.

Councillor Brown said councillors felt the club's green belt surroundings were too sensitive for further masts, and they were worried about encouraging a proliferation of mobile phone masts, when there was already a mast at the club.

l Menston families recently took their campaign against the proposed Coultas Close mast to the streets with a protest banner.

Children worked on the banner, which was put up on Farnley Road in a bid by families to mobilise as many residents as possible against the mast plans. Parents wanted to publicise their campaign, to inform residents who had not received consultation letters, and encourage residents from other streets to join in the protest.

Posted Thursday 26 May 2005

LINDSEY SMITH

Tamworth Herald

10:30 - 26 May 2005

Parents have vowed to fight on in their protest against a mobile phone mast at St Edward's RC Primary School.

Test results released last week proved that the mast's emissions are within recommended government guidelines.

But this appears to have made little difference to the strength of feeling against the Packington Lane mast because protestors believe emission guidelines for this country are already set too high.

"We're not demonstrating, we're not holding placards, but we are taking advice to see what we can do, legally, to get this mast removed," explained one parent, who asked not to be named.

"O2 didn't want us to have the deeds, we suspect there was something in them they didn't want us to see, but we found the deeds on the land registry and due to the Freedom of Information Act they couldn't actually stop us seeing them.

"Years ago people didn't know the dangers of asbestos or coal mining. But you can bet they'll turn around in 50 years and say of masts 'oh yes, that was dangerous, we didn't realise.'

"Well that's not happening to my children. Not if I can prevent it."

Coleshill Cllr Gordon Sherratt said: "I'm not a scientist. I've seen the report but for all I know those levels could still be injurious.

"Not only that, I was up at the cemetery yesterday and the Orange mast at the tennis courts was having 3G capabilities installed, so the workmen said.

"I suppose they think, 'Well who's going to complain? It's a cemetery. Everyone's dead already', but it's within sight of the school mast and we just don't know how far those rays reach or what the effects could be in years to come."

Haverhill today

Protestors in Haverhill have vowed to continue their fight against proposals for a mobile phone mast on the Hazel Stub Roundabout, following an appeal by communications giant Hutchison 3G.

An application to site the mast – which would enable the use of 3G video technology phones – on the roundabout, was turned down by St Edmundsbury Borough Council's development control committee last month, following an outspoken campaign by residents.

People living near the roundabout, and on the nearby Castle Reach development objected to the mast because of fears about the possible consequences to health.

This week campaign leader, Jo Robbins, said: "This was entirely expected and no surprise at all. "This site is totally inappropriate as the council committee unanimously decided last month. You can be sure that the community will fight the appeal with the same zeal as before."

The borough council is contacting those who objected to the application to inform them of the appeal.

Objectors have until June 26 to contact the Planning Inspectorate.

CLIFF MOGG

Surrey Star

TWO Cove schools, which have a special unit for pupils with hearing problems, have suffered a setback in their battle against a proposed mobile phone mast.

Staff at Manor infant and junior schools have protested to Rushmoor Council planners that the Vodafone mast signals could interfere with hearing aids used by nine pupils.

Marilyn Penman, head of the 220-pupil infant school, said on Tuesday: “I’ve recently discovered that this problem arose at another school with hearing impaired children. “The pupils were having trouble with their hearing equipment and it was tracked down to a mast which had been put up nearby.” She hopes to unearth more detailed information before the deadline for objections tomorrow (Friday).

But Chris Jones, Rushmoor Council planning officer, said: “We are powerless to act over signal interference. “Under the terms of the licence, the operator is responsible for ensuring that his equipment does interfere with other systems.” Mr Jones also had bad news for more than 300 residents who have signed a petition objecting to the 10-metre high mast, earmarked for the Fernhill Road-Northcote Road junction, on health grounds. He said that, because it is less than 15 metres high, the council was limited to discussing the siting and design of the mast, and whether the company had looked at the possibility of sharing a mast with other operators.

The only ray of hope for the objectors appears to be the sharing option.

Mr Jones revealed that the council recently turned down an application by T-Mobile in the same area because it had not looked at the possibility of sharing a mast with another operator. “In that case the planning inspectorate upheld the planning committee’s decision,” he said.

The council has until June 28 to decide on the Vodafone application.