Phone giants bows to people-power
Wirral News 15.02.06
PHONE giant T-Mobile has bowed to public pressure and agreed to remove a contro-versial mast from a site in Greasby.
The mast, on land at Greenhouse Farm in Arrowe Road, will be removed later this week following six years of campaigning by Wirral West MP Stephen Hesford, residents' group Greasby Against Mobile Masts Association (GAMMA) and pressure group MastAvengers.
It brings to a close a battle which began in 1999, when householders living in nearby Rigby Drive saw bulldozing equipment rip through protected greenbelt land on a field to the south of the farm. The residents formed the action group GAMMA and have fought for the mast's removal ever since.
Mr Hesford has lobbied on behalf of the public who were against the erection of the mast from the beginning. Wirral councillors finally voted to serve a 'Discontinuance Notice' to get the mast taken down.
Mr Hesford said: "I am delighted that the phone company has finally decided to listen to the public and remove it. I would like to thank the public who have played a massive part in this success by doing all they can to help the cause.
"This is a win for the people of Greasby who have worked so very tirelessly with myself to remove this mast from Green House Farm. This mast should have never been set up in a greenbelt area and I will be very happy to see the area restored to the way it should be."
T-Mobile was given planning permission to build the phone mast in 1999 due to a technicality, when the company was not notified in time that it had been refused planning consent to build under develop-ment regulations.
GAMMA presented the council with a 1,740-signature petition and more than 200 letters urging them to remove the mast.
PHONE giant T-Mobile has bowed to public pressure and agreed to remove a contro-versial mast from a site in Greasby.
The mast, on land at Greenhouse Farm in Arrowe Road, will be removed later this week following six years of campaigning by Wirral West MP Stephen Hesford, residents' group Greasby Against Mobile Masts Association (GAMMA) and pressure group MastAvengers.
It brings to a close a battle which began in 1999, when householders living in nearby Rigby Drive saw bulldozing equipment rip through protected greenbelt land on a field to the south of the farm. The residents formed the action group GAMMA and have fought for the mast's removal ever since.
Mr Hesford has lobbied on behalf of the public who were against the erection of the mast from the beginning. Wirral councillors finally voted to serve a 'Discontinuance Notice' to get the mast taken down.
Mr Hesford said: "I am delighted that the phone company has finally decided to listen to the public and remove it. I would like to thank the public who have played a massive part in this success by doing all they can to help the cause.
"This is a win for the people of Greasby who have worked so very tirelessly with myself to remove this mast from Green House Farm. This mast should have never been set up in a greenbelt area and I will be very happy to see the area restored to the way it should be."
T-Mobile was given planning permission to build the phone mast in 1999 due to a technicality, when the company was not notified in time that it had been refused planning consent to build under develop-ment regulations.
GAMMA presented the council with a 1,740-signature petition and more than 200 letters urging them to remove the mast.
rudkla - 18. Feb, 17:24
