May 4 2005
By Dave Black, The Journal
A row over plans by a mobile phone company to erect a new 50ft-high mast in a Northumberland village looks set to be resolved.
Vodafone sparked anger last month after threatening to invoke emergency powers under the Telecommunications Act to put up the temporary mast behind the working men's club in Guide Post, near Ashington.
Local people - who already have an Orange mast on the same site - were horrified at the move and Wansbeck District Council accused Vodafone of adopting a cavalier attitude to the community to force through its wishes.
Now - following discussions between Vodafone officials and council bosses - both sides are working together to come up with an alternative site for the new mast, on both a temporary and permanent basis. In addition, Vodafone has agreed to co-operate with the council to bring together other mobile phone companies to examine ways of minimising the impact of masts on local communities.
The row erupted when Vodafone announced it intended to use the special powers to erect the temporary mast, without having to first seek the approval of the council or local community.
The tower was intended to replace an existing Vodafone mast which the company had been ordered by a court to remove from a nearby haulage yard in Guide Post to make way for a housing development.
Yesterday Vodafone said the haulage yard mast has now been taken down, leading to a deterioration in service for local mobile phone customers, but efforts are continuing to find an alternative site. Last night Wansbeck Council deputy leader, Coun David Nicholson, said: "The message which has come out of this situation is that all operators have to put communities first.
"At Guide Post, putting another mast 15m from people's homes was just not acceptable to us."
Vodafone spokeswoman Jane Frapwell said: "We are working very closely with the council to come up with an amicable solution."
Stan Latimer, 76, who lives with his wife Margaret just 30m from the working men's club and Orange mast, said: "I get very depressed thinking about it.
"We already have one monster mast out here, which is not nice to live with, and we didn't want a second one."
A man protesting over the construction of a phone mast in a Staffordshire town's high street has been arrested.
He was detained at a demonstration on Wolstanton High Street after grabbing the controls of the machine being used to install the mast, police said.
The 02 mast replaces another taken down after an enforcement notice from Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council.
That structure breached the planning consent originally granted by the authority three years ago.
Police said the man arrested on Wednesday was being held on suspicion of threatening to cause criminal damage and assaulting a police officer.
The council's decision to allow O2 to put up the 15-metre replacement mast has been met with opposition from many locals.
One protester, Lynn Smith, told BBC Midlands Today: "It's just so obtrusive, it's so big.
"It's supposed to be the size of a lamppost, but it's absolutely enormous."
Many residents do not agree with claims that the mast blends in with street lamps.
By Samantha Payne
Bromley News
A SCIENTIFIC researcher says residents are being directly affected by high levels of mobile mast radiation found in their homes.
Ingrid Dickenson, director of scientific studies at anti-phone mast group Mast Sanity, recorded high levels of the radiation in four homes near to the 3G mast antennaes in Chislehurst Road, Orpington.
Residents, who have been campaigning for four years to remove the phone mast, say they have been suffering from headaches, sleeplessness and dizziness.
Mrs Dickenson says these symptoms, which also include tinnitus and nose bleeds, are the effects of non-thermal mobile mast radiation.
Susan Green, 40, and her 10-year-old son Christian, have been experiencing the symptoms since the 3G antennaes were put up in March.
They say the link between the masts and their ill health was confirmed a fortnight ago when they were switched off for a week's maintenance and their complaints disappeared.
Mrs Dickenson has been working on phone mast emissions with radiation experts from Europe and America since 1995.
She says the Government's current advice on mobile masts is misguided.
Mrs Dickenson said: "They say mobile phone radiation is not high enough to heat the body so is therefore safe.
"The National Radiological Protection Board is stubbornly refusing to look at the non-thermal effects.
"But non-thermal radiation does have a real effect, with the first symptoms being sleep disturbance, headaches and nosebleeds."
Mrs Green said: "I was not expecting the readings to be sky high. The news is devastating for me and my son."
Her next door neighbour Heather Lewis said: "My family have been suffering from headaches and sleeplessness.
"Mrs Dickenson's readings showed our bedroom was saturated with pulse radiation.
"I'm now going to buy metallic blinds to stop the radiation from coming through the window."
1:59pm Wednesday 4th May 2005
00:00, May 4 2005
By Mandy Little, Greenwich Mercury
A COMMUNITY is outraged that an appeal is set to go ahead on siting four mobile phone masts near a school for children with learning disabilities.
News that O2 is appealing to the Planning Inspectorate for masts near Charlton School in Charlton Park Road has come as a bombshell to some of the nearby community who are concerned about the effects on children's health.
An application for two 15m masts outside the school and a later plan for two 12.5m masts about 200m down the road were turned down by Greenwich council in October, 2004.
There have been no objections to the appeal and residents claim they only found out about it after a mum spotted a notice on a lamp post.
At a packed meeting at the school organised by the campaigners and attended by a representative from O2 on Tuesday last week, concerns were raised about errors in the original applications.
Campaigners found two "bungles": The company consulted two other primary schools by mistake It marked the applications as "amber" but they should have been "red" for higher sensitivity as both are by a school and close to a listed Jacobean wall.
A spokesman from Charlton Residents' Against the Mast said: "The appeal was a bombshell to people. Hardly anyone knew."
The group has written a 15-page letter highlighting the errors to the inspectorate and demanding a public hearing.
Mum-of-two Jenny Chalice, 48, from Cemetery Lane alerted people by delivering notes to 100 houses after spotting the notice.
She said: "The children at the school already have enough to cope with. I don't want to think in 20 years time these children and my own kids have been made sick."
The Charlton sites are also close to an under-fives club and family picnic areas.
Jim Stephenson from O2, said the errors were "genuine mistakes".
Greenwich council said it has fulfilled its requirement by law and notified the school and residents about the appeal.
Tamworth Herald
LINDSEY SMITH
10:30 - 05 May 2005
Planning applications for mobile phone masts in North Warwickshire are to be circulated to elected members for the first time.
Following complaints from councillors that they are not being told about masts appearing in their wards, North Warwickshire Borough Council has agreed to rectify the situation - even though they have no legal obligation to do so.
Coleshill Cllr Peter Fowler, who requested the change of policy, says the public has missed out on a 'vital window of opportunity for consultation and objection' for far too long.
The five major mobile networks in the UK provide an annual roll out plan for local councils detailing plans to erect new masts or carry out upgrades to existing base units.
Despite the fact no planning permission is required for masts under 15 metres tall under existing 'prior approval' legislation, local authorities still have 56 days to submit any objections to the plans.
But in the past, ward councillors have not always been informed of the plans, leaving them little room to object on behalf of the electorate once mast building work begins.
Jeff Brown, acting assistant director of planning at NWBC has confirmed that from now on, notifications of individual masts and the yearly telecommunications operators' roll out plans will be given to councillors.
Cllr Fowler said: "It may be there's nothing we can do, the objections may turn out to be futile, but if we know about these masts at least we can do our bit to have our voice heard.
"Protestors in Coleshill managed to halt the installation of a 3G mast at Coleshill Hotel's Cameo Suite and the company is now looking for alternative sites.
" "People DO have power, but only if they know what they're objecting against."
Hailsham News
05/5/05
PLANS for a mobile mast near Grovelands school have been thrown out.
Residents from Cameron Close, Grovelands Road and the surrounding area presented a 700-signature petition to the council. And speaking at a planning meeting, committee chairman Dick Angel said there were more objections to Vodafone's application than 'almost any I can remember'. The packed meeting room heard the mobile phone giants didn't need planning permission to put up the mast.
Wealden's planning boss Ian Kaye said, 'The mast was put up on previous permitted development rights. 'And this is a replacement, albeit three metres higher.'
Grovelands school governor Jane Smith spoke out about the application. She said, 'we have concerns regarding the health of the children and the proximity between our pupils and the mast.
'The council should also consider the financial implications for the school.
'The government's chief medical officer recommends that children should not be exposed to mobile phones. 'The granting of this application would undermine this.'
The 15-metre mast would have been located on top of the St John Ambulance station in Grovelands Road.
Local councillor Ian Haffenden said he had received more letters and phone calls on this application than any other. And he attacked both St John Ambulance and Vodafone. He said, 'I think Vodafone should be ashamed and I think St John Ambulance should be ashamed of their greed. 'I think it's shocking that it should give a mast to a mobile phone company. 'Shame and disgrace on them. 'A lot of parents did not realise the existing use of the mast on top of the building. 'A lot of people thought it was being used by the St John Ambulance. 'The mast is not being extended or replaced — it's being moved.'
Government rules say health considerations are not allowed to be taken into account when dealing with mast applications. This is because the health risk is not yet known. But Cllr Haffenden said, 'Children will be walking directly under this in order to get to and from school. 'You used to be able to buy cigarettes with no health warning on them. 'And how many people lived with asbestos in their houses? 'Now if you get a tiny bit of asbestos, people go up the wall. 'People now know the health risks of these things and risks are a concern in this location because of the children.'
The planning committee rejected the application on the basis of its siting and recommended Vodafone share O2's mast in Gleneagles Drive.
andrew.newman@trbeckett.co.uk
05 May 2005
6/5/05 New Now website
PHONE company Orange has revealed that it had originally planned to erect 56 mobile phone masts throughout south Farnham. The company is currently facing vociferous protest against its current plans for 13 of the phone masts in an area covering Compton, Bourne, Lower Bourne, Shortheath and Boundstone. But the company had previously wanted to put up 56 low-level micro masts which would have been scattered throughout the area. The idea was rejected after opposition from Waverley Borough Council. Orange has been trying to solve the problem of poor coverage on its network in the south Farnham area for the past 11 years. Last week the company held a public consultation exercise at the Bush House Hotel to try to allay fears about its proposals. The meeting attracted a protest by hundreds of parents, children and residents who oppose the phone masts, saying they should not be placed close to homes or schools until safety to children can be proven. Orange said its preferred option would be to use the existing 25 metre phone mast tower which is owned by ntl in Aveley Lane. This would depend, however, on ntl and the land owners, Surrey County Council, coming to an agreement. A spokesman for Orange said: “Our current plans are not our preferred option but we have really run out of alternatives. “We did originally approach the local council with plans to put up 56 low-level masts in the area but the local authority wasn’t happy. “The best solution to this problem would be if we could use the existing tower which is owned by ntl in Aveley Lane. “If that was given the go-ahead, it would replace the need for the current masts - including the one located near to the school. “Unfortunately, this is a decision which is out of our hands as we’re reliant on NTL and Surrey County Council. “In the past we’ve applied for planning permission to do this but it was turned down and then our appeal was rejected.” A spokesman for Surrey County Council confirmed that the council leases the land on which the Aveley Lane mast stands to ntl and that in 2003 it varied the lease to allow the mast to be shared with Orange, among other operators. But the variation limited what equipment Orange could use and the company would require a further variation. The problem, she said, was that there was a large rent review outstanding, which ntl was “not dealing with”. “Once we have sorted out the rent review, we can look at the business of Orange changing its equipment. We need ntl to negotiate with us about their own situation first. “Obviously we have to look after public money. That’s two years we have been waiting for them to negotiate. “We are doing our best to resolve both issues - we are not trying to stand in the way of this being sorted out,” said the spokesman. The government has called on mobile phone companies to improve the way in which they consult with local communities over the issue of phone masts. Keith Hill, planning minster, said: “It seems like we’re all using mobile phones these days and this means we need masts. But those masts need to be sited sensitively to minimise their environmental impact and local concern. “When I’ve talked to people about this they tell me they’re not against masts in principle, but rather masts going up without any sense of public consultation. People have a right to know where masts are located.” The minister also set out the need for local councils to take into account the need for communications developments in their local development documents, and to make clear the local strategy for such developments. “Rather than just waiting for the operators to contact them with specific proposals, councils should be thinking strategically. This way they can stay one step ahead of the game.”
05/05/2005
By STEVE BAKER
PLANS are being developed to build a mobile phone mast at a Woking school — despite fears that radio waves could be damaging to children.
Mobile phone service provider Orange has written to interested parties stating that it wants to build the mast at St John the Baptist School in Elmbridge Lane, Kingfield.
This comes as a government report earlier in the year said it was advisable not to allow children under the age of eight to use mobiles and for those aged up to 14, parents had to judge the risk for themselves. The report, compiled by Sir William Stewart, chairman of the National Radiological Protection Board, earlier this year, points to a number of studies which raise health concerns connected with mobile phone use.
Bob Hely, who has a daughter at the comprehensive school, sixth form and language college, said: “I don’t like the idea of phone masts near the school because we don’t know how safe they are. “I admit I do use a mobile phone but I am very unhappy about this plan and I’m quite sure they can find somewhere else to put the mast.”
Yet despite concerns over the health implications of masts, planning guidance from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister states that such issues should not be considered when determining mast applications.
In a letter leaked to the News and Mail, Orange has asked Woking Borough councillors and governors at the school to give their opinions on the proposal. In it the company expresses its wish to install the mast or radio base station at the school to improve its coverage in the area. Orange said: “A possible location has been sensitively selected so as to minimise the wider impact on the environment.” Further on the company adds that the mast at the school “would provide the solution we require and we think the design is well suited to the existing environment”. This letter is a part of Orange ’s consultation process before it submits a full planning application to Woking Borough Council.
A statement issued on behalf of the council states that it has not yet received an application for the mast. Adrian Bishop, the council’s deputy borough planning officer, said: “The council does not have a specific planning policy precluding mobile phone mast applications near schools. “However, any application will be assessed against central government advice and local plan policies while taking into account any representations received from the school and the public generally.”
Cllr Ken Howard, chairman of the council’s environment overview and scrutiny committee, believed that this was a Catch 22 situation.
LINDSEY SMITH
10:30 - 05 May 2005
Education chiefs have moved to reassure parents at St Edward's Catholic Primary School in Coleshill that the phone mast within the school grounds is safe.
With mast operator O2 organising tests on the unit on May 11, headteacher of the Packington Lane school, Gillian Owen, confirmed that the most recent official tests also gave an apparently safe reading.
But she's added that the mast location is still 'far from ideal' and that the school would like to see it moved away from the site altogether.
"The phone mast has been on land owned by BT since before the school opened eight years ago," Gillian Owen explained.
"We have been told that it does not have 3G capability and we are assured that we should be consulted if there are any plans to upgrade it."
A spokesman for O2 said that the tests were being conducted as a way to reassure parents and school staff.
"The emissions from all of O2's cell sites are well below international guidelines," he added.
"Nonetheless, to reassure parents of children attending the nearby schools we have offered to arrange and pay for an independent test of emissions from the site.
"The findings of the analysis will then be compared with international guidelines and set out in a report, which will be sent to the headteachers of the three schools in the area.
"We will then seek a meeting with the schools to discuss the findings."
l Turn to p.29 for more news on the battle against phone masts in North Warwickshire.
http://tinyurl.com/9goyu
It is not the degree of ICNIRP or that matters. Of course the industry complies. ICNIRP simply does not address the right mechanisms, and indeed, whatever the mechanisms are, and whatever chains of events take place to cause the suspected biological impacts, we may well find that it is not as simple as a power-dose relationship. The matter of accumulated effects is not embodied in any national or international guidelines.
So we don't want to argue with anyone for a more stringent ICNIRP, just so that we can continue to have a microwave environment that is 10^13 (that's ten with 13 zeros) times higher than nature but spread more evenly. We need to recognise the impact of living in that environment and change the technology of talking.
Source:
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/571130/
