World-News

By Simon Greenhalgh

TRAFFORD'S planning committee has heavily criticised a mobile phone operator for its failure to consult a school about a proposal to install a new mast on land adjoining Flixton Station.

In considering the proposal earlier this month, it became clear that Vodafone had failed to talk to nearby St Michael's Primary School and ward councillors before submitting it for planning approval.

Deputy-chairman Councillor John Reilly said: "The company has shown a complete disregard for good practice recommended by both the government and the mobile phone industry itself.

"The government has based its guidelines for masts on a comprehensive report by Sir William Stewart which highlighted the need for operators to talk closely to schools which might lie close to a potential site.

"The council cannot accept a proposal where there has been a major failure to talk to the community and respond to their concerns."

Nobody from Vodafone attended the meeting. The committee turned down the application.

© Copyright 2001-2006 Newsquest Media Group

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Dec 21 2006

By Ryan Kisiel

ANGRY residents say they will form a human chain to stop a controversial phone mast being put up.

Protesters in and around Arthur Road, Wimbledon, say they will fight to stop mobile giant Orange.

Phone company bosses plan to put the mast up yards away from five nurseries early next year.

Campaign organiser DeNica Fairman said people would be coming out in force against Orange.

Ms Fairman said: "We're definitely looking at forming a human chain and having a peaceful protest to stop the mast going up.

"People are watching the area in case they try and put it up over the holiday period.

"There are five nurseries within 100m of this building and we're very concerned about it.

"People are devastated that they are going through with this and it just goes to show that our voices are not heard."

The mast is planned for above a cafe in a street that is home to many young families.

The height of the proposed mast means no planning permission is necessary.

Site owner Towerstile, which is based in Sussex, offered through an email to withdraw consent for the mast if campaigners gave them £130,000.

Wimbledon MP Stephen Hammond said: "We've been fighting this for six months now.

"I've given Orange a number of alternative sites and we under-stand they are a commercial business, but this is a highly sensitive site.

"All the other landlords have refused them permission except the absentee one from Sussex, who is holding this community to ransom."

A spokeswoman for Orange said: "We are aware of the protest against our plans to put up the mast.

"We have had consultation with residents and the MP and there are no plans not to go ahead with putting up the mast."

© owned by or licensed to Trinity Mirror Southern Limited 2006

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By Tom Stirling

ANGRY campaigners will tonight hold a candlelit vigil around the mobile phone mast they have fought for months to remove.

Representatives from Ryedale District Council have agreed to travel to Sheriff Hutton to meet residents.

But the council has already decided it has no legal power to force phone giant Orange to move the mast.

Its mistake meant formal objections to the mast were sent in one day late. But a top lawyer said even if they had been delivered on time, they were not valid, and would not have made any difference.

That legal advice led the council to decide there was nothing it could lawfully do to get the mast moved.

But Sheriff Hutton campaigners maintain they never even got a chance to have their say on the mast, and feel let down.

Councillors on Ryedale's policy and resources committee have arranged to meet the residents tonight, at 7pm, in the village's Methodist church.

Campaigners will hold a candlelit vigil at 6.30pm at the foot of the mast, then march to the church.

Protester John Botting said: "I don't think councillors realise the strength of feeling. They haven't seen the village in terms all the people that could turn up at one time - they will get a big surprise.

"We have been disenfranchised by not being able to negotiate, and that has all been caused by the council's lack of appropriate action.

"We are going to give them the story from our side, explaining the number of errors made by the council. This isn't over by a long shot."

Coun Robert Wainwright, chairman of the policy and resources committee, said: "The advice we got from counsel is that we could properly make some modest payment to a project in the village, and that is what the meeting is about. It is a recognition that we have made a mistake."

© Copyright 2001-2006 Newsquest Media Group

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By Linda Piper

IN A blitz on mobile phone masts, Bexley councillors have turned down eight applications for new masts in the borough in the past month.

At the planning control committee meeting last week, members turned down applications for five masts.

This follows a further three rejections at the committee's November 23 meeting.

For people living in the Penhill area of Bexley, it was their fifth attempt to fight off plans for a mast near their homes.

This time it was T-Mobile which applied to put a 32ft mast on the grass verge outside 179 Harcourt Avenue at the junction with Penhill Road.

Bexley has already refused an application from O2 in 2004, which was also refused on appeal and two applications from Orange in June this year.

All of them were turned down for similar reasons, including concerns it would increase the street clutter and would be visually intrusive.

Two applications for phone masts in Halfway Street, Sidcup, were also refused last week.

One proposed by Orange would have stood outside 190 and 192 Halfway Street and the other from Huchison 3G was proposed for outside 188 Halfway Street.

The committee also refused another application by Hutchison 3G for a 40ft mast on the Sidcup-bound carriageway of North Cray Road, opposite 48 St James Way.

One of the reasons the committee turned down the application was because the proposed site is on the edge of the High Beeches conservation area.

The fifth application was another attempt to site a mast near the Great Harry pub.

T-Mobile applied to put a mock telegraph pole-style mast in Parsonage Manorway fronting Cray Road.

Last month, councillors turned down an application from Orange for a mast in the same street, at the junction with Eastry Road and along the street from the pub.

At the same meeting, O2 was refused permission for a mast in Erith Road, Barnehurst, near the entrance to the Bexley Care Trust offices.

And it turned down T-Mobile's bid for a 55ft high mast which would have towered over the trees on a piece of green belt land off Tile Kiln Lane, Bexley.

l People have until December 22 to write objecting to an appeal by T- Mobile to be allowed to put a phone mast at the William Camden pub in Avenue Road, Bexleyheath.

The proposal was refused by Bexley Council.

People should write, enclosing three copies of their objection, to the Planning Inspectorate, Room 3/14, Eagle Wing, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6PN.

© Copyright 2001-2006 Newsquest Media Group

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http://www.channel4.com/more4/news/news-opinion-feature.jsp?id=481

Mo 18 Dez 2006

Snapshot survey shows schools using masts to boost budgets.

The vast amounts of money UK councils earn from mobile phone masts on public buildings - including schools - has been revealed for the first time.

A More4 News Online probe shows councils are raking in thousands of pounds a year from renting out civic sites for masts - a controversial practice encouraged by government.

Critics have accused government of ignoring calls to change the planning rules for masts - many say the health debate surrounding such structures has not been resolved.

Six of the councils who took part in the survey revealed revenues of more than £100,000 a year.

Birmingham City Council earns more than £590,000 from masts on its buildings. The authority used to have a ban on such structures.

Many of the masts are on council housing blocks and offices, while some are even on schools.

Authorities in Edinburgh, Oxfordshire, Portsmouth, York and Aberdeen were found to have masts on schools.

The councils said in the vast majority of cases the schools were consulted first - and the revenue from the masts went to the schools' budgets.

A list of the annual revenues councils receive from permitting masts on their buildings:

Birmingham City Council: £590,973
Leeds City Council: £410,000
Haringey Council: £256,852
Ealing Council: £133,250
Bristol City Council: £125,230.40
Edinburgh City Council: £119,139
Cambridge City Council: £83,992
Glasgow City Council: £83,351
Portsmouth City Council: £63,920
Norwich City Council: £62,100
Brighton & Hove City Council: £47,000
Plymouth City Council: £44,550
Coventry City Council: £44,429
City of York Council: £33,217
Aberdeen City Council: £8,000
Southampton City Council: £5,571
Oxfordshire County Council provided a figure of £175,603 as its revenue from mobile phone masts, but says it is a one-off income, rather than an annual income.

Breakdown by council
Location and costs by council. Download original spreadsheets and other documents.
http://www.channel4.com/more4/news/news-opinion-feature.jsp?id=487

Reaction
Key figures respond to the More4 News investigation.
http://www.channel4.com/more4/news/news-opinion-feature.jsp?id=488

ANGRY home owners in a Linlithgow housing estate are furious that a massive phone mast has been erected.

The mast at Wilcoxholm Farm, which overlooks Bailielands, appeared a couple of weeks ago. Residents are concerned that the mast, for the T Mobile telephone network, is a health hazard. There is no firm scientific evidence that low-level frequencies emitted by such devices can trigger cancers.

However, one Bailielands resident, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Gazette: "It's an inappropriate location for such a device. "We were all surprised when it appeared on the horizon a couple of weeks ago because no-one knew anything about it and we were never given any chance to object to it." She continued: "There was no advertising, no neighbour notification. ''It doesn't appear to have needed planning permission. How can that be?"

Kingsfield ward councillor Tom Kerr said he had been approached by local residents at his regular surgery. "They complained about the mast and I've also heard that there's a story doing the rounds in town that I'm somehow involved with it. "I'd like to kill stone dead the rumour that it's in my back garden. "The mast is at least a quarter of a mile from my home."

Councillor Kerr said he had no recollection of receiving any correspondence from T Mobile in connection with the mast. "The application for planning permission was received by West Lothian Council in April and it was approved in June," he said. "It has taken since then for the company to construct the mast. "The nearest adjacent neighbours to the site are Network Rail and there was no obligation on the applicant to notify residents in Bailielands. ''The application received no objections and was approved through delegated powers."Councillor Kerr added: "Had I been more aware of the appli-cation I could have asked for it to be referred to committee but it's not within my powers as a councillor to seek additional neighbour notification."

According to a West Lothian Council spokesman, there was no need to notify neighbours. Explaining why, he said: "The Bailielands residents were not notified about this phone mast as the railway line lies between the site and their houses. "In cases like this, the owner of the land between the site and the houses is notified. "The planning application was not advertised since there was no requirement to do so and consent was granted under delegated powers."

18 December 2006

All rights reserved © 2006 Johnston Press Digital Publishing.

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http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=cancer+and+radiofrequency+exposure

VILLAGERS in East Preston have joined forces with their local church to help raise more than £50,000 needed to maintain the building. The running costs of the 1,000-year-old grade 1 listed St Mary the Virgin Church are so high that earlier this year a proposal to install a mobile phone mast in the clock tower was even considered to bring in much-needed funds.

At the time, the vicar, John Lyon, said that it could only go ahead if local people agreed and in July, after several letters of objection, the offer was turned down.

This left the church still needing around £50,000 to carry out essential maintenance work on damp in the building and when coupled with the annual running costs of around £7,500, makes for a serious deficit.

Stepping into this breach came a group of local residents, some of whom do not even attend the church, who are determined to save it.

Sarah Leighton, 47, of Vicarage Lane, is one of those who has stepped forward to support the church.

She said: "I'm not religious but I feel that the church is an important part of our community and of our history. It would be a real shame if it was to fail. It's a link to the past for people in the area and is part of our heritage.

"There were a group of us who were against the mast and we said that if the offer was turned down we would help the church start a fund-raising drive.

"We are doing a leaflet-drop to everyone in the village to make them aware of the church's funding difficulties and then we will be looking at how we can raise the cash.

"Anyone with ideas and enthusiasm is welcome to join us."

Father Lyon told the Gazette: "The church belongs to the people and I always said that if there was sufficient opposition to the mast it would not go ahead, but it had to be considered.

"It's very important that we have the support of the community and I am grateful for it."

lSeveral fund-raising ideas are in the offing, including a flower festival. The first event takes place on Saturday, when the Millionheirs barbershop group will give a carol concert at the church, at 7pm.

Tickets are £8, including refreshments, and are available on the door.

18 December 2006

All rights reserved © 2006 Johnston Press Digital Publishing.

http://www.littlehamptontoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=467&ArticleID=1935733

Gran Canaria, 18.12.2006

Die Telefonbetreiber von Mobiltelefonen auf den Kanaren tarnen ihre Sendemasten in oder hinter Palmen und Schornsteinen. Das bestätigte gestern der Anwalt der Asociación de Afectados por las Antenas de Telefonía Móvil (ATEMO), Pablo López, während einer Versammlung von Sendemast-Gegnern in Gran Canaria. Juan de la Várcena, Arzt in Ruhestand, fügte hinzu, dass die genannten Sendegeräte in Bäumen, aber auch in Klimaanlagen versteckt wären und so, dem Menschen einen erheblichen, gesundheitlichen Schaden zufügen können. Hier berufen sich die Sendemast-Gegner auf eine unabhängige Studie, die durch Nachbarn von aufgestellten Antennen in Auftrag gegeben wurde. Laut Studie sei die Strahlung die von den Sendemasten ausgeht unter anderem für bis zu 40 tote Personen in ein und derselben Strasse in Gran Canaria Capital verantwortlich. Ziel von ATEMO ist es eine einheitliche, gesetzliche Regelung bei der Aufstellung und Platzierung der Sendemasten zu erreichen. Dies wolle man durch eine Unterschriften-Aktion bewirken, die bereits jetzt schon rund 4.500 Bürgerinnen und Bürger unterzeichnet hätten.

Copyright © 2005-2006 Radio Megawelle Canarias S.L.

http://www.megawelle.com/Nachrichten.1019.Telefonbetreiber.tarnen.gesundheitsschdliche.Sender.als.Palmen.html

PETER WALSH

18 December 2006 09:09

Families fighting a mobile phone mast close to a popular city park are urging homeowners to give the campaign one final push to defeat an appeal by the operator.

A proposal by telecommunications giant 3 to put up a 15-metre mast at the corner of Parmenter Road and South Park Avenue in Norwich has already been thrown out by the city council, but now the company is appealing against the decision.

People who want to object only have until January 10 to do so, and protesters are concerned the campaign may get derailed over the Christmas period.

When the application went before the city council earlier this year 54 letters of objection were sent in, one of which was signed by 11 people. A petition of more than 200 names was also collected but was not submitted and this will now be sent to the planning inspectorate to demonstrate the strength of feeling in the area.

Mike Nichols, of Sotherton Road, is one of those leading the campaign.

He said: “This appeal is going to be carried out by written report and so there will be no opportunity to attend, but we can write, as many of us did before.

“We would encourage everybody to write in again, and I would like to see everybody who did not write in last time to write in now.

“We need to show the strength of feeling. It is just before Christmas and people just do not have the time to get their heads round this, but they need to act.”

Locals cite a number of reasons for their objections to the mast, which would be situated close to the Eaton Park boating lake.

They are concerned about the possible health risks, as the mast would be close to their homes as well as four schools and a community centre, and also worried about the visual impact of its impact on the value of their homes.

Previously, William Comery corporate affairs manager for South East Ericsson, the company installing the mast on behalf of 3, said that because of a lack of coverage in the area eight sites had been looked at and the Parmenter Road location was found to be the most suitable.

“There has been a lot of research into health and mobile phones,” he said.

“Most recent was a World Health Organisation Report which came out in May. It concluded that there were no adverse short or long term health risks.”

Letters of objection should be sent in triplicate by January 10 to The Planning Inspectorate, Room 3/16, Eagle Wing, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6PN.

The application reference number is APP/G2625/A/06/2031808/NWF

For more information visit http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/pcs

Are you worried about plans for a mobile phone mast in your area? Contact Dominic Chessum on (01603) 772428 or email dominic.

chessum @archant.co.uk

Copyright © 2006 Archant Regional. All rights reserved.

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