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Housing bosses in Leeds raked in £410,000 last year from controversial mobile phone mast schemes.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that 38 of the city's masts are located on council-owned land and buildings.

Last year Leeds City Council was paid the sum by phone firms for renting out space on its property, the highest for any of the 84 councils across the UK who have made their phone mast income public.

Another 50 authorities said they would not, or could not, disclose how much they were making from the telecommunications industry.

News of the council's deals was greeted with alarm today by campaigners.

They say no more phone masts should be built on council property until the confusion over their potential health risks is cleared up.

Although many people are convinced that long-term exposure to the radio waves emitted by the structures is dangerous, scientific opinion remains divided.

Mark Dobson, who fought a long-running battle against plans for a 12-metre high mast near East Garforth train station, said the number of council-backed schemes in Leeds was of "great concern".

Mr Dobson, a member of Garforth Residents' Association, told the YEP: "What is really worrying is that the odds are stacked against the public when it comes to objecting to these things.

"Because of the uncertainty surrounding the health risks, they are not taken into account when the planning decisions are made - and that, to me, is grossly unfair."

Thirty six of the masts are sited on residential properties - many of them tower blocks.

One more is at an office complex in Hunslet while another is on Potternewton playing fields in Chapel Allerton.

Today council leader Andrew Carter said the majority of the masts in question had been given the green light under the authority's previous, Labour-run, administration.

Admitting he had concerns about the possible impact of phone masts in general, Coun Carter said: "We are now taking a very strict line on this - for example, we are advising schools not to put them on their premises."

He also pointed out that many of the residential properties involved were the responsibility of the arms' length management organisations which now run the city's council housing.

The local authority would, though, be undertaking a review of the sites under its control, added Coun Carter.

WHERE THE MASTS ARE:
Apart from two, all are on residential properties.
Marlborough Towers, Little London; Grayson Heights, Kirkstall; Queenswood Heights, Headingley; Clayton Court, Stourton; Lovell Park Towers, Little London; Potternewton playing fields, Chapel Allerton; Gledhow Towers and Lidgett Towers, Potternewton; Shakespeare Towers, Burmantofts; Gipton Gate West and East; Middleton Road, Middleton; South Point, Hunslet (offices); Meynell Heights, Holbeck; Cottingley Towers, Cottingley; Holbeck Towers, Holbeck; Gaitskell Grange and Whincover Grange, Wortley; Burnshall Grange and Burnshall Gardens, Moor Top; Beecroft Hill, Bramley; The Heights East and The Heights West, Armley; Poplar Mount, Stanningley; Barncroft Grange, Barncroft Court, Barncroft Heights and Barncroft Towers, Seacroft, pictured; Elmete Towers, Parkway Towers and Parkway Grange, Gildersome; Queensview, Headingley; Sherburn Court, Swarcliffe; Seacroft Gate, Seacroft; Lakeland Court, Alwoodley; Norman Towers, Kirkstall; Leafield Towers, Moortown; Clayton Court, Stourton.

04 December 2006

All rights reserved © 2006 Johnston Press Digital Publishing.

http://thisisleeds.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=39&ArticleID=1911848

A mobile phone mast could be installed at Shifnal’s railway station, despite objections from councillors. The application has been made by Telecommunications company O2.

It has applied to Bridgnorth District Council for permission to put the 10-metre high mast next to the station car park, off Aston Street.

Planners at the council are recommending the scheme for approval, although both Shifnal Town Council and the Shifnal Society have raised concerns.

Councillors have officially objected to the project, saying it would look out of character and would have a negative effect on new residential development in the area.

The Shifnal Society has also objected, saying the mast could be harmful to the health of nearby residents.

Members also questioned whether O2 had considered using other sites elsewhere in and around the town.

But in a report to councillors, planning officer Mike Clough said there were no real reasons for refusing planning permission - even though the site was in a conservation area.

He said: “Despite the protection normally afforded to conservation areas, telecommunications development is not prohibited in principle.

“The Shifnal Society has raised health issues in its representations.

“When such matters have been considered at appeal, such concerns have generally been given limited weight unless there is some supporting evidence.

“No such evidence has been submitted or is apparent in this case.”

The agents working on behalf of O2 said they had investigated alternative sites around Shifnal but the railway station was the best site for the job.

http://www.shropshirestar.co.uk/2006/12/mast-plan-near-railway-station/

Campaigners are to go into battle again over plans for a mobile phone mast close to Preston College and two secondary schools.

In June the college joined forces with locals to get a bid for an 11.8m mast thrown out by Preston Council planners.

But mobile phone giant Orange has submitted a revised application to erect a mast on land off St Vincent's Road in Fulwood, near Archbishop Temple CE High School and Corpus Christi Catholic Sports College.

The only significant amendments are that the mast will be of different design and sited 50cm to the right of the previous application.

Planning officials, who have recieved 19 objections to the new application, will consider the proposal in January.

A spokesman for Preston College said: "We are objecting to the mast again, due to its proposed location being in close proximity to the college and the health risk this poses to our staff, students and residents."

A local mother-of-two, who did not wish to be named, said said: "No matter how many reports Orange throw at us saying it is safe, they are not going to convince me there is no risk at all."

Orange spokesman Duncan McGraw insisted a mast was necessary for the area after the company was ordered to take a mast off the roof of nearby Sharoe Green Hospital.

He added: "We understand the concerns of residents, but we can assure them radiation levels are 1000s of times lower than international guidelines."

Omega read "Base Stations, operating within strict national and international Guidelines, do not present a Health Risk?" under: http://omega.twoday.net/stories/771911/

01 December 2006

All rights reserved © 2006 Johnston Press Digital Publishing.

http://www.lep.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=73&ArticleID=1909359

Campaigners have reacted with disbelief after learning they have lost their fight against a mobile phone mast being built next to a Cubbington pub.

Hundreds signed a petition earlier this year against the plan to install a 12m antenna next to the Rugby Tavern in Rugby Road, and felt victorious after Warwick District Council refused permission for the proposal.

But phone company O2 appealed against the council's decision - and this week overturned it after the Planning Inspectorate, based in Bristol, ruled that there were no valid reasons for refusing permission.

And the decision has infuriated those who battled hard to stop the mast being erected. Rugby Road resident Shirley Rush, who lives opposite the pub, said: "It seems unbelieveable. There's nothing else we can do now. We've tried everything. It shows that big business, with all its resources, will always win. It's very sad."

Local authorities are not allowed to use health fears to refuse phone mast applications, and there is no proven link between such masts and illness among people living near them. The district council instead turned down the plan because it felt the mast would harm the appearence of the area - and it was on these grounds that the Planning Inspectorate overruled the council.

Inspector Leslie Coop said: "There is already a considerable amount of street furniture along this part of Rugby Road, including 10m high street lighting columns on both sides of the road.

"I am satisfied the mast would blend into the street scene, particularly if the mast and cabinets were to be of an appropriate colour.

"The operator has an obligation to provide a network serving at least 80 per cent of the population by the end of 2007 and I consider this outweighs any minor visual impact that the proposed development would have."

The ruling comes just weeks after protesters in Old Milverton successfully stopped O2 building a mast in the village, which it had tried to do three times.

The Planning Inspectorate agreed in that case that the roadside mast would be a risk to traffic.

30 November 2006

All rights reserved © 2006 Johnston Press Digital Publishing.

http://www.leamingtonspatoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=691&ArticleID=1907399

By Jonathan Moyes

AN application to place a phone mast on a Chingford church spire has been rejected over fears that pornography will be distributed via the network.

The proposal to build a T-Mobile base station in the spire of SS Peter and Paul Church on The Green was rejected by the Chelmsford Diocese consistory court.

Presiding judge, George Pulman QC, Chelmsford Diocese Chancellor, said: "It is wrong in law for the church to facilitate transmission of pornography, even in a slight or modest way.

"It is equally wrong for the church to gain financial advantage, even in a slight or modest way, from the transmission of pornography.

"Until there is clear evidence that antennae in church towers in this diocese cannot transmit pornography, it is unlikely that a faculty will be granted to allow church towers to be used for 3G transmissions.

"It causes me some surprise that local authorities granting planning permission for antennae may wish to adopt a different view. The dangers to children from internet pornography are well known to local authority social services departments.

"It is their social workers who give evidence before the High Court in respect of the dangers of child pornography, the effect of child pornography on adults and on children and the resultant dangers to others."

The Bishop of Chelmsford's chaplain, Chris Newlands, said: "This is a landmark ruling. The church is not supportive of anything that de-humanises or abases humanity. We can see the point the judge has been making about how the phone mast can help mobile phone users to send 3G images which could be images of pornography."

Chingford MP Iain Duncan Smith said: "I have not seen the ruling, but if it is true this is great news and a landmark victory for common sense.

"As everyone is aware, I remain concerned over the health implications of this technology and here in Chingford we will be under constant pressure from mobile phone companies for two reasons.

"The first is we are within easy reach of the M25, A406 and M11. Secondly, the mobile phone companies have to recoup the vast amounts of money the Government made them pay for their licences."

Resident Trevor Calver, Larkshall Road, Highams Park, said: "I am absolutely delighted the chancellor saw sense and kicked the mast out.

"The 3G masts are way for people to send images and to pick up things from television and computers and there is certainly a danger to children."

The Guardian contacted T-Mobile but the phone company had not resonded at the time of going to press.

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Today our neighbourhood woke up to find a massive 15-metre mobile phone mast had been put up by phone company O2 in front of the Five Bells, in East Finchley, despite planning permission being refused by Barnet Council. It dwarfs another phone mast just 50 feet away, while yet another operator is appealing to install a mast 200 yards along the same road, outside two care homes for the elderly. A school for children with special needs is further along the road.

It's an obvious targeting of the East End Road area by the phone companies, who have each application considered in isolation and on its own merits. But it is the community which has to bear the cumulative impact of all these installations, both the visual detraction and health hazards, for years to come.

O2 has erected the Five Bells mast by default, just like it did its one in Chesterfield Road, Barnet (Phone mast protestors block road', November 22), in the confidence that the council would not take it to court after some minor technical error by the council.

The telecommunications corporations have deep pockets and armies of lawyers to fight local residents and cash-strapped councils. It appears the planning process is all a game rigged to make the community the loser.

Gayle Goshorn Pulham Avenue, East Finchley

© Copyright 2001-2006 Newsquest Media Group

http://www.edgwaretimes.co.uk/news/letters/display.var.1048804.0.community_is_losing_out_to_companies_mobile_phone_masts.php