Phone mast victory celebrated
CAMPAIGNERS in Arnison Avenue are celebrating victory after a controversial phone mast put up in February was pulled down last week.
The 45ft mast was removed by O2 on Tuesday just as Barry Evans, founder of the NO2 Mast Group, was preparing to fight the mobile phone giants before a judge the next day.
Barry, 59, a software tester from Arnison Avenue, Totteridge, said: "I am pleased.
"It shows that you need to push them and they will back down. This could all have been sorted over a cup of coffee weeks ago."
The mast was put up despite O2 failing to get planning permission by Wycombe District Council after the company used a legal loophole.
The phone company realised the council had missed the deadline to respond to its application by one day, giving it automatic permission to install the mast. The council has 56 days to respond to applications.
O2 took the pole down last week because, the company said, they decided it was no longer needed.
Jim Stevenson, from O2, said it was a "coincidence" that the court case was the next day and promised the mast would not be making a reappearance.
He said: "We have tweaked a few of our other antennae and we realised we don't need this one any more. It will go back in storage and be used somewhere else in the country."
Now Barry is trying to make sure he does not have to pay costs for the court case, and has threatened to ask the council for compensation if he gets a bill.
He said: "I will write to them because they failed to do their job in the first place. This mast should never have gone up."
Catherine Spalton, from the council, said: "Should Mr Evans choose to submit an official reclamation of costs to the council, we would seek legal advice. However, the council was not party to these proceedings, and as such there is no basis apparent to the council under which such a claim could be sustained."
© Copyright 2001-2006 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thisishertfordshire.co.uk/news/roundup/display.var.899033.0.phone_mast_victory_celebrated.php
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East London Residents campaign
I received this on the email address the Mast Sanity SE Coord emails are sent to. No one is asking for advice, so I guess they just want to inform us? But curiously I cannot see a cc to SE Coord anywhere. Has anyone any knowledge of this group please?
Sandi
alex morton wrote:
Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2006 18:29:39 +0100 (BST)
From: alex morton
Subject: EAST LONDON RESIDENTS CAMPAIGN AGAINST T-MOBILE - "it's now or never"
Further to our press release in June, after doing some further preparatory works, T-Mobile have now started today digging the hole for the installation of the mast at 34 Aldersbrook Road, E12.
They attended at the site today with 5 contractors to dig the hole and erected a 6-foot fence(!) guarded by a further 10 contractors(!) who pushed back anyone who tried to scale the fence and took photographs of all protesters including their children.
Local residents, including one who is 8 months' pregnant, intend to attend at the site again tomorrow to oppose the installation of the unwanted mast.
Despite promising to re-check whether the mast is in fact required for local reception, (the coverage maps with the original planning application did not in fact show this and T-Mobile have installed a mast nearby at Centre Road which they said was required to replace it) T-Mobile are going ahead without comunicating again with local residents.
Other operators are investigating other sites in the area more acceptable to local residents but only T-Mobile insist upon going ahead with this site in the face of local opposition.
Some local residents have terminated their contracts with T-Mobile and moved to other operators. T-Mobile do not seem to care about this any more than the views of local residents.
Aldersbrook Residents' Mast Solution ("ARMS")
Alex Morton 07970119793
Elizabeth Canavan 0208 530 2658
alex morton wrote:
Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2006 10:54:06 +0100 (BST)
From: alex morton
Subject: EAST LONDON RESIDENTS CONTINUE CAMPAIGN AGAINST T-MOBILE
PRESS RELEASE
EAST LONDON RESIDENTS TO CONTINUE TELECOM MAST CAMPAIGN
On Friday 23rd June T-Mobile began work on the erection of an unsightly “mobile mast” and equipment cabin in an East London conservation area.
In the past hundreds of residents have laid down on Wanstead Flats to highlight their campaign (see attached photos from October 2005), stopped the traffic on Aldersbrook Road, held sit down protests on the site when T-Mobile carried out investigative works and picketed local T-Mobile shops.
When works continue (likely to be on Monday 26th June) local residents and parents from local schools have pledged to continue their opposition to this unpopular development.
T-Mobile’s application for planning permission was refused by Redbridge Council but the company then appealed successfully to the Planning Inspectorate.
Points to note:-
1. The site is outside the Bowls Club at 34 Aldersbrook Road, E12 5DY about 200 metres from Aldersbrook Primary School and even closer to the St Gabriel’s Church “pre-school”. It is in the Aldersbrook Conservation Area and opposite the “green belt” open space of Wanstead Flats.
2. Local residents formed Aldersbrook Residents Mast Solution (“ARMS”) to fight intrusive mast developments and seek a solution.
3. Following T-Mobile’s successful planning appeal both Orange and O2 have applied to erect masts only a short distance away giving rise to the prospect of a cluster of unsightly masts and equipment cabins in this prominent location and the unknown effects of all their combined high frequency transmissions on the health of local residents and their children.
4. For several years ARMS have been asking T-Mobile to meet with them to discuss less intrusive alternative sites which would also be further away from housing and schools. Recently the Head of Development Control at Redbridge Council chaired a meeting at Ilford Town Hall to explore whether a solution might be possible.
5. Although the other operators were prepared, in principle, to consider alternative sites suggested by local residents, both T-Mobile and Orange refused. T-Mobile also promised to erect their development outside the Bowls Club on Aldersbrook Road without delay. Local T-Mobile customers are expected to desert that company for other operators who are prepared to work with local residents to find a solution.
6. One of the alternative sites three operators agreed to consider is on Centre Road [about 300 metres away] where T-Mobile won a planning appeal and has already erected a mast and equipment cabin. Part of its justification for its Bowls Club site appeal was that it had been refused consent to put a mast on Centre Road. T-Mobile has refused to discuss why they now need both sites!!
7. Finally, although T-Mobile’s planning consent is for a mast for “2G” transmissions, T-Mobile have made no secret of their plan to immediately enlarge the mast and cabin for “3G” transmissions (without obtaining any consent from the Council). It is acknowledged that local reception of “2G” transmissions is adequate.
8. Higher power “3G” transmissions post-date the “Stewart Report” so their effect on human health, either from one mast or a cluster, has not been properly investigated.
9. The only benefits of “3G” transmissions (as compared to “2G”) are that they enable mobile users to send and view video clips and have faster access to the internet. As most people now have “2G” mobile phones telecom operators have had to think of new ways to make profits. The main purpose of “3G” is feared to be offering access to hardcore pornography.
Contact:
Elizabeth Canavan on 0208 530 2658
Alex Morton on 07970119793
Ian Wheeler on 07799898709
http://www.maststop.com
24th June 2006
The 45ft mast was removed by O2 on Tuesday just as Barry Evans, founder of the NO2 Mast Group, was preparing to fight the mobile phone giants before a judge the next day.
Barry, 59, a software tester from Arnison Avenue, Totteridge, said: "I am pleased.
"It shows that you need to push them and they will back down. This could all have been sorted over a cup of coffee weeks ago."
The mast was put up despite O2 failing to get planning permission by Wycombe District Council after the company used a legal loophole.
The phone company realised the council had missed the deadline to respond to its application by one day, giving it automatic permission to install the mast. The council has 56 days to respond to applications.
O2 took the pole down last week because, the company said, they decided it was no longer needed.
Jim Stevenson, from O2, said it was a "coincidence" that the court case was the next day and promised the mast would not be making a reappearance.
He said: "We have tweaked a few of our other antennae and we realised we don't need this one any more. It will go back in storage and be used somewhere else in the country."
Now Barry is trying to make sure he does not have to pay costs for the court case, and has threatened to ask the council for compensation if he gets a bill.
He said: "I will write to them because they failed to do their job in the first place. This mast should never have gone up."
Catherine Spalton, from the council, said: "Should Mr Evans choose to submit an official reclamation of costs to the council, we would seek legal advice. However, the council was not party to these proceedings, and as such there is no basis apparent to the council under which such a claim could be sustained."
© Copyright 2001-2006 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thisishertfordshire.co.uk/news/roundup/display.var.899033.0.phone_mast_victory_celebrated.php
--------
East London Residents campaign
I received this on the email address the Mast Sanity SE Coord emails are sent to. No one is asking for advice, so I guess they just want to inform us? But curiously I cannot see a cc to SE Coord anywhere. Has anyone any knowledge of this group please?
Sandi
alex morton wrote:
Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2006 18:29:39 +0100 (BST)
From: alex morton
Subject: EAST LONDON RESIDENTS CAMPAIGN AGAINST T-MOBILE - "it's now or never"
Further to our press release in June, after doing some further preparatory works, T-Mobile have now started today digging the hole for the installation of the mast at 34 Aldersbrook Road, E12.
They attended at the site today with 5 contractors to dig the hole and erected a 6-foot fence(!) guarded by a further 10 contractors(!) who pushed back anyone who tried to scale the fence and took photographs of all protesters including their children.
Local residents, including one who is 8 months' pregnant, intend to attend at the site again tomorrow to oppose the installation of the unwanted mast.
Despite promising to re-check whether the mast is in fact required for local reception, (the coverage maps with the original planning application did not in fact show this and T-Mobile have installed a mast nearby at Centre Road which they said was required to replace it) T-Mobile are going ahead without comunicating again with local residents.
Other operators are investigating other sites in the area more acceptable to local residents but only T-Mobile insist upon going ahead with this site in the face of local opposition.
Some local residents have terminated their contracts with T-Mobile and moved to other operators. T-Mobile do not seem to care about this any more than the views of local residents.
Aldersbrook Residents' Mast Solution ("ARMS")
Alex Morton 07970119793
Elizabeth Canavan 0208 530 2658
alex morton wrote:
Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2006 10:54:06 +0100 (BST)
From: alex morton
Subject: EAST LONDON RESIDENTS CONTINUE CAMPAIGN AGAINST T-MOBILE
PRESS RELEASE
EAST LONDON RESIDENTS TO CONTINUE TELECOM MAST CAMPAIGN
On Friday 23rd June T-Mobile began work on the erection of an unsightly “mobile mast” and equipment cabin in an East London conservation area.
In the past hundreds of residents have laid down on Wanstead Flats to highlight their campaign (see attached photos from October 2005), stopped the traffic on Aldersbrook Road, held sit down protests on the site when T-Mobile carried out investigative works and picketed local T-Mobile shops.
When works continue (likely to be on Monday 26th June) local residents and parents from local schools have pledged to continue their opposition to this unpopular development.
T-Mobile’s application for planning permission was refused by Redbridge Council but the company then appealed successfully to the Planning Inspectorate.
Points to note:-
1. The site is outside the Bowls Club at 34 Aldersbrook Road, E12 5DY about 200 metres from Aldersbrook Primary School and even closer to the St Gabriel’s Church “pre-school”. It is in the Aldersbrook Conservation Area and opposite the “green belt” open space of Wanstead Flats.
2. Local residents formed Aldersbrook Residents Mast Solution (“ARMS”) to fight intrusive mast developments and seek a solution.
3. Following T-Mobile’s successful planning appeal both Orange and O2 have applied to erect masts only a short distance away giving rise to the prospect of a cluster of unsightly masts and equipment cabins in this prominent location and the unknown effects of all their combined high frequency transmissions on the health of local residents and their children.
4. For several years ARMS have been asking T-Mobile to meet with them to discuss less intrusive alternative sites which would also be further away from housing and schools. Recently the Head of Development Control at Redbridge Council chaired a meeting at Ilford Town Hall to explore whether a solution might be possible.
5. Although the other operators were prepared, in principle, to consider alternative sites suggested by local residents, both T-Mobile and Orange refused. T-Mobile also promised to erect their development outside the Bowls Club on Aldersbrook Road without delay. Local T-Mobile customers are expected to desert that company for other operators who are prepared to work with local residents to find a solution.
6. One of the alternative sites three operators agreed to consider is on Centre Road [about 300 metres away] where T-Mobile won a planning appeal and has already erected a mast and equipment cabin. Part of its justification for its Bowls Club site appeal was that it had been refused consent to put a mast on Centre Road. T-Mobile has refused to discuss why they now need both sites!!
7. Finally, although T-Mobile’s planning consent is for a mast for “2G” transmissions, T-Mobile have made no secret of their plan to immediately enlarge the mast and cabin for “3G” transmissions (without obtaining any consent from the Council). It is acknowledged that local reception of “2G” transmissions is adequate.
8. Higher power “3G” transmissions post-date the “Stewart Report” so their effect on human health, either from one mast or a cluster, has not been properly investigated.
9. The only benefits of “3G” transmissions (as compared to “2G”) are that they enable mobile users to send and view video clips and have faster access to the internet. As most people now have “2G” mobile phones telecom operators have had to think of new ways to make profits. The main purpose of “3G” is feared to be offering access to hardcore pornography.
Contact:
Elizabeth Canavan on 0208 530 2658
Alex Morton on 07970119793
Ian Wheeler on 07799898709
http://www.maststop.com
24th June 2006
rudkla - 30. Aug, 09:28
