World-News

By Chris Johnson

RESIDENTS are furious after the Government vetoed a council's decision to reject the installation of a phone mast.

Greenwich Council twice declined phone company T-Mobile's application to install an 11.7m 3G mast in Rochester Way, Eltham.

But the phone giant appealed against the council's decision last year and now the Government's Planning Inspectorate has approved the application.

Residents and councillors are concerned the mast will be an eyesore next to Oxleas Woods a site of special scientific interest.

The council received letters of objection in response to both proposals, which were submitted in April and then August last year.

Chris Rusher, of Crookston Road, says the Planning Inspectorate did not listen to residents' views in making its decision.

He said: "It's shocking not just our objections but also Greenwich Council's decisions seem to have been completely ignored.

"I am also deeply concerned as my wife is pregnant and it's a worry a developing child will have to needlessly live about 100m from this mast."

Conservative Eltham north Councillor Spencer Drury has been fighting the proposal since the first application.

He said: "This mast is being built at the bottom of green, beautiful land and it will undoubtedly spoil it.

"The council knew this wasn't right for the area so how can it be some faceless inspector can allow this to happen?"

Eltham MP Clive Efford has written to T-Mobile demanding a meeting to see if the company will move the mast's position eastwards so it is hidden behind trees.

Greenwich Council says it will not appeal the Planning Inspectorate's decision.

The Planning Inspectorate's inspector, Jonathan Bore, said the application had been approved to "remedy a shortfall in 3G coverage" and said the impact on Oxleas Woods would "not be significant".

He added: "I have considered all the representations and all the matters raised by the objectors. I consider the proposed scheme is entirely acceptable on its own merits."

T-Mobile was unavailable for comment.

© Copyright 2001-2006 Newsquest Media Group

http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/lewgreennews/display.var.859318.0.anger_as_mobile_mast_goes_ahead.php

I am forwarding you this excellent media coverage of the latest anti-mast protests here for posting.

Fermoy locals say no to mast
http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/fermoy_locals_say_no_to_mast.jpg

Dad leading Fermoy anti-mast protest
http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/dad_leading_fermoy_anti_mast_protest.jpg

Fermoys concern over phone mast
http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/fermoys_concern_over_phone_mast.jpg


Best, Imelda, Cork

The meeting was attended by all the commissioners of environment in Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos and Kwara states, as well as experts in occupational health and safety, electrical electronics from the University of Ibadan, University of Benin and Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU).

They all spoke in unison in allaying the fears already deep-rooted in Nigerians over the dangers inherent in the radiation emissions from GSM base stations across the country.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/suntech/2006/aug/02/suntech-02-08-2006-001.htm
(excerpt)

A CONTROVERSIAL mobile phone mast that has had residents up in arms over potential health risks was set to step closer to becoming a reality last night.

Ryedale's councillors were due to discuss the issue enforcement action to stop Orange installing the mast at Dasket Hill, Sheriff Hutton, at the monthly planning committee meeting.

But Gary Housden, Ryedale Council's development control manager, said legal advisers said there were no ground for enforcement action and that it could cost the council a lot of money.

Residents of Sheriff Hutton have held protests, fired off letters and had a stand-off with Orange contractors due to their fears that it could lead to health problems for young children who live nearby and others who attend the local school.

The council has been in talks with the mobile phone company in a bid to find a more suitable location but so far there has been no positive outcome.

Mr Housden had taken legal advice to see if the council could mount a successful attack on the application. In his report, he said the advisers have concluded there is "no realistic prospect of success" in arguing there has been a breach of planning control by Orange.

Enforcement action on the grounds of health risks was also thrown out when an independent engineer said the mast meets safety guidelines set out by the Government.

Mr Housden added the council's coffers could also be hit for six if Orange appealed against an enforcement action and was successful.

01 August 2006

All rights reserved © 2006 Johnston Press Digital Publishing.

http://www.maltontoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=806&ArticleID=1666036

Calling out for change? Crystal Palace Station is a Grade II listed building which O2 is planning to put a phone mast on.

A much-loved and listed building could soon be defaced by a phone mast, Crystal Palace residents fear writes Cara Lee.

Mobile phone giant O2 has plans to erect the phone mast on Crystal Palace Station, a Grade II listed building.

Resident Denise Marsh said: "Being a mother to three young children, I am seriously concerned about the effects that emissions from the phone mast could have on my children's long-term health.

"I fear that it could be a ticking time bomb and that radiation from the transmitter could cause cancer."

Gill Basset, who lives near to the station, added: "I don't understand why the mast couldn't go somewhere else, rather than on a listed building."

Chairman of the Crystal Palace Community Association, John Payne, said: "The station is within a conservation area so shouldn't be used to promote something potentially harmful to the environment.

"It was built in the 1860s and underwent a refurbishment costing £4.5million only two years ago so it's such a shame to ruin the building with a mast."

Though health problems have not been proven to be caused by the presence of mobile phone masts, the Government accepts there is need for more research.

Planning permission can still be refused for masts for the usual planning reasons, if it is considered to be out-of-keeping with the area or to look ugly. “Being a mother to three young children, I am seriously concerned about the effects that emissions from the phone mast could have on my children’s long-term health." Denise Marsh

However, some locals seem to have accepted the idea of a new phone mast. "It's just another part of the modernisation of Crystal Palace," said Palace resident Rob Downie. "There's no proof that it will cause harmful side effects. I'm not worried about it at all."

Jim Stevenson, O2's community liaison officer for London, said: "There is a demand to improve network coverage in Crystal Palace because the demands of the area are growing quickly.

Ultimately, the proposals for this new mast will benefit our customers, whose needs we must try to satisfy.

"We will make sure that the mast fits in with the current environment," he added. "The design of the mast will be carefully considered and it will be in no way an eyesore."

As for allegations about the safety of the mast, Mr Stevenson said: "O2 is completely satisfied with the results from scientific studies which prove that emissions from masts are not dangerous to nearby residents."

He also maintained that phone users will come to no harm from using their mobiles.

Omega this is not true. See under:
http://omega.twoday.net/topics/Wissenschaft+zu+Mobilfunk/
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Cancer+Cluster
http://www.buergerwelle.de/body_science.html

According to Mr Stevenson, the company is still going through the planning stages to build the mast and, if it the proposals go ahead, work is likely to start later this year and will take approximately a week to complete.

11:14am today

© Copyright 2001-2006 Newsquest Media Group

http://tinyurl.com/rgr52

By David Crookes

MOBILE phone giant T-Mobile has been told that it cannot erect a phone mast nearly 50ft high at a Bolton beauty spot.

The firm lodged an appeal over a decision by Bolton Council to reject the plans for a mast on a footpath near Doffcocker Lodge, Bolton.

But a government planning inspector has upheld the town hall decision.

Local councillor, Richard Sylvester, said: "It's a triumph for common sense."

He said people living in nearby Boot Lane and Old Kiln Lane had felt very strongly about the plans and nearly 100 lodged objections.

"It was unsuitable for the area and would have been very intrusive," he said.

"The planning committee rejected the plans because it was the right thing to do and it's pleasing that the decision has been upheld."

Planners threw out proposals for the 15-metre high mast following the objections despite council officers recommending they should be approved.

Bolton Council's planning committee said the plan represented "inappropriate development within the Green Belt" and any special circumstances did not outweigh the harm that would be caused.

The Government was called in to rule over the plans following Bolton Council's rejection of them in January.

Cllr Sylvester said he anticipated the firm would submit alternative plans for the area, but expected residents to oppose any future proposals for the Doffcocker Lodge area.

"People feel very strongly because the area is somewhere which people use regularly and want to enjoy," he added.

No-one from T Mobile was available for comment.

4:37pm today

© Copyright 2001-2006 Newsquest Media Group

http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/news/localnews/display.var.857298.0.no_vote_to_phone_mast_is_upheld.php

Jul 31 2006

By Rob Davies, Daily Post

Residents of Hen Fuarth

MOBILE phone giant O2 is planning a 50ft transmitter mast in the middle of a built-up area of North Wales and promise more to come.

The proposed mast on the grass verge of Pen y Maes Road, Holywell, would be near primaryschools and the town's community hospital.

Last night a storm of protest met the proposals but unrepentant phone bosses say such masts will increasingly be needed in the heart of urban areas.

Demand for mobile phones continues to soar, fuelled by increasing numbers of people ditching traditional land lines and relying solely on their mobile, said O2 spokeswoman Angela Johnson.

"The coverage will be OK now but the new mast will be to take into account future additional capacity for the area," she said.

"The more people use their mobile phones the more masts we need and by the nature of the technology they are very low-powered transmitters, so they have to be close to where people use their phones.

"Unfortunately we can't put them on the mountains like TV masts, we transmit at 60watts, not a million watts.

"More and more are people not having land lines at home and are relying solely on their mobiles so masts are going into residential areas right through the country."

She added radio waves from such masts were less than 2% of the total radio frequency emissions in the area.

All electrical equipment, such as TV sets, radios and microwave ovens gave out radio waves and there was no evidence to show phone masts had any adverse effect on health, she claimed.

Details of a planning application for the proposed phone mast were sent out to nearby residents by Flintshire County Council.

Pensioner Bryn Richards of Hen Fuarth, who lives across the road from the planned mast site, said he feared for the health of his 65-year-old wife Lorna, chronically ill with cancer.

The 68-year-old said: "I am very worried about it. My wife has been ill for seven years and this could make her condition even worse.

"Why do they want to build it there? There are three schools and a hospital in the vicinity.

"Young children will be climbing this damn thing. All the residents here are very worried about it. We are all elderly and some people have just come out of hospital.

"Who wants a 50-foot mast right outside their front door? It isn't fair on the residents or the kids going to school.

Mr Richards and neighbours plan to lobby Flintshire council demanding they throw out the proposals.

Business is booming

MOBILE phones, around for 20 years now, are tiny compared to the early days - with more and more in use.

Figures from Ofcom show there are now more mobile phone subscriptions in the UK than people - at 62.5m.

Around 80% of adults use mobiles and revenues from all telecoms services in the last 12 months were £37.2 billion - 6% higher than the previous year.

Meanwhile, fixed-line revenues fell to £10.3b - down by 9% compared with the previous 12 months.

Mobile phones don't work without base stations, commonly known as 'masts'. Without them, a call cannot be made and they need to be where people use their phones.

Whether phones and 'masts' pose a health risk has long been debated.

In May 2000, an independent expert group chaired by Sir William Stewart concluded the balance of evidence to date did not suggest mobile technologies cause adverse health effects.

Omega this is not true. See under:
http://omega.twoday.net/topics/Wissenschaft+zu+Mobilfunk/
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Cancer+Cluster
http://www.buergerwelle.de/body_science.html

However, the Stewart Report called for more research to fill gaps in scientific knowledge and for a precautionary approach to be adopted.

© owned by or licensed to Trinity Mirror Plc 2006

http://tinyurl.com/j3cxb

Irish Independent - Dublin, Ireland

The Government faces an escalating campaign against mobile phone mast erections after more than 1,000 people protested about a 400pc increase in pylons...

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1663023&issue_id=14436