World-News

Jan 27 2006

THE Solihull News is to take your concerns over mobile phone masts straight to the top.

Mike Dolan is an executive director of Mobile Operators Association (MOA), an organisation which represents five UK networks, 3, O2, Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone and he's agreed to speak to us about your worries.

We want you to send any questions for Mr Dolan to our reporter Andy Walker.

Send them by Tuesday (January

31) morning to our offices at 150 High Street, Solihull, B91 3SX or e-mail: andy_walker@ mrn.co.uk. Alternatively you can phone them through to 0121 711 5731.

Our initiative comes as telecommunication operators submitted their roll out plans for the coming years.

Hampton-in-Arden, Olton, Balsall Common and Hillfield are all on a list of areas being targeted by mobile phone giants.

T-Mobile are the worst culprits with 29 sites built, five sites with permission and a further 18 proposed sites. Orange are close behind with 47 sites built, 14 sites with permission and eight proposed sites.

The document was revealed at a Planning and Regulatory Committee meeting on January 19, prompting Solihull Council's head of planning, Paul Watson, to remark that it was time to meet the people behind these applications and 'see the whites of their eyes'.

However there was good news for Monkspath residents after plans to site a mast close to the Fieldhouse pub were withdrawn.

owned by or licensed to Trinity Mirror Plc 2006

http://tinyurl.com/d8hba

par Fabienne KELLER Maire de Stasbourg

http://www.next-up.org/main.php?param=dernieresinfos&date_news=2006-01-26

By Estelle Marais

Isleworth residents took to the streets to mark the start of a campaign against an 11.7m mobile phone mast being erected outside Redlees Park.

A group of about 60 protesters are hoping to persuade the planning inspectorate to uphold Hounslow Council's refusal of planning permission for the T-Mobile mast to be erected in Twickenham Road.

T-Mobile lodged the appeal after the council refused the application in May last year on the grounds it "would detract from the park's entrance and, in doing so, would form an intrusive element in the overall aspect of the local open space and would detract from the visual amenities of the area by reason of visual clutter".

The protest was also attended by all three councillors for Isleworth ward Phil Andrews, Dr Genevieve Hibbs and Fred Muston.

Coun Andrews said: "It will stand out like a sore thumb. The site is a wide open space in front of a park and next to a youth club and popular recreation centre.

Objections to the appeal must be received by Friday, February 3, in writing to Victoria Williams, The Planning Inspectorate, Room 3/14 Eagle Wing, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay Bristol BS1 6PN, quoting reference number APP/F5540/A/05/1195048.

http://www.hounslowguardian.co.uk/news/localnews/display.var.679182.0.mast_to_stick_out_like_a_sore_thumb.php

26 January 2006 RESIDENTS are urging a mobile phone company to scrap plans to install a mast near a school.

Bosses at Orange are planning to install a mast near Bedonwell Junior School in Bedonwell Road, Belvedere.

But residents, who have formed an action group called Orange Squash, are urging the phone giants to think again.

Orange has had a mast there since 1995, but their new plan is to remove it to a new site just 100 yards from the school.

Resident Alan Eaton, of Bedonwell Road, the driving force behind Orange Squash, has persuaded 200 people to sign a protest petition.

He said: "They want to move their mast further down the road. Years ago they told us the children would not be harmed if the mast was above them as fewer radio waves are emitted below the mast. They said they would if the mast was next to them - but this is what they are doing now."

Fellow resident Nicholas Pauli, of King Harolds Way, Bexleyheath, said: "I can't believe a phone mast and cabins could be built at Bedonwell Road, close to the school, not to mention the health risks and possible devaluation of the properties caused by this unsightly structure.

"It is extremely irresponsible and shows a complete disregard for concerns of parents and residents. I totally object to any more masts near schools or residential areas. There are already too many in the area."

Orange spokeswoman Jacqueline Sibander said the process was at an early stage. She added: "Orange has been asked to move it off the school grounds and is therefore looking for a replacement site. As the technology is very low powered, to provide coverage in area the base station has to be nearby. So any replacement for the school site will have to be in the area.

"We are going through the consultation period now and have spoken to representatives from Orange Squash, the school and other residents."

She was unable to say if a planning application would be submitted. "These are just the proposals at the moment.

Copyright © 2006 Archant Regional. All rights reserved.

http://tinyurl.com/82ex3

Published: 25th January 2006

COMMUNICATIONS giant Vodafone has been criticised as a "time-waster" after a third application to put up a mobile phone mast on Bedells Lane was rejected.

The company wants to put the 15-metre mast up near to the King’s Arms roundabout in Wilmslow but has already had its plans turned down twice.

Initially it had applied to site the mast near to the roundabout but was defeated by planners after objections from councillors, residents, businesses, the Curzon Mews Residents Association and Cheshire County Council’s Highways department.

The company chose not to appeal and submitted a further application to Macclesfield Borough Council in June 2005 with the mast moved further up Bedells Lane, opposite the electricity substation.

However, this was again turned down because it was viewed to be unacceptably obtrusive and visually detrimental.

A third application lodged in November has now been refused after officers decided it would be an unwelcome intrusion on the skyline and harm the character of the area.

The mast would have a tri-sector antenna standing next to a large equipment cabinet, which Vodafone claims is necessary to increase 2G and 3G cover within the largely residential area of Wilmslow.

Wilmslow Hough Conservative Councillor Andrew Stephenson welcomed the decision and branded the company "time wasters". Having failed a third time he urged Vodafone to look elsewhere to site the mast.

He said: "I am pleased to say that planning permission for this mast has been refused, however it does not come as a surprise.

"This proposal was little changed from the previous application and I’m dismayed that Vodafone don’t appear to have taken on board the concerns we expressed over their last application."

He added: "Residents are deeply concerned about plans to erect another mast in this part of Wilmslow where there are already four masts in the immediate vicinity.

"It is unthinkable that a fifth freestanding mast should even be considered and I would urge Vodafone to explore all other possibilities, before submitting another application.

"We all want to be able to use mobile phones, but that doesn’t mean we should allow 15metre high masts in densely populated residential areas."

Catherine Mountford

First published by the Wilmslow Express

http://www.thewilmslowexpress.co.uk/news/s/208/208544_mobile_firm_branded_time_wasters.html

For those of you that can read and understand Swedish, or get automatic
translations, please note the following very well written interview:

"Mobiltelefonstrålning ofarlig?"
from "Äventyrliga Föräldrar" 5/2005
http://www.aventyrliga.se/spec-artikel.php?id=8


Olle Johansson, assoc. prof.
The Experimental Dermatology Unit
Department of Neuroscience
Karolinska Institute
171 77 Stockholm
Sweden

Das Land Niederösterreich und die heimischen Mobilfunker scheinen ihr Abkommen zum Handymasten-Sharing verschieden auszulegen. Die Geister scheiden sich am Zeitplan für die Zusammenlegung der Masten und einer Tarifsenkung für die Nutzer. Die Umsetzung des niederösterreichischen Mobilfunkpakts kommt langsamer ins Laufen als erhofft. Darüber, wie lange es dauert, bis die ersten Handymasten zusammengelegt werden, herrschen derzeit völlig unterschiedliche Vorstellungen.

"Bis Ende März werden wir wissen, welche Standorte abmontiert bzw. zusammengelegt werden, im Herbst soll es auch zu einer gebührlichen Entlastung der Kunden kommen." Diesen Zeitplan nannte Klaus Schneeberger, ÖVP-Klubobmann im niederösterreichischen Landtag.

Er verwies auch auf den bestehenden Arbeitskreis von Land und Mobilfunkbetreibern, der die bestehenden Standorte "durchgehe".

Landeshauptmann Erwin Pröll [ÖVP] und die Mobilfunkbetreiber hatten sich Ende Oktober auf einen Pakt geeinigt, woraufhin die zuvor beschlossene und sehr umstrittene Handysteuer vom niederösterreichischen Landtag am 15. Dezember wieder zurückgezogen wurde. Niederösterreich verzichtet auf Mastensteuer Mobilfunker sehen die Lage anders Das Forum Mobilkommunikation [FMK], die Interessenvereinigung der Mobilfunker, ist jedoch anderer Meinung. Im Namen der Handynetzbetreiber erklärte FMK-Geschäftsführer Thomas Barmüller, dass es zumindest noch ein Jahr dauert, bis die ersten Masten zusammengelegt werden.

Schließlich würde erst am 22. Februar 2006 eine Sitzung stattfinden, die erst einmal festlege, welche der möglichen Standorte überhaupt zusammengefasst werden könnten.

Dann müssten Begehungen und Verhandlungen mit den Grundstücksbesitzern stattfinden. Seien diese erfolgreich, müssten erst die Standortplanung und die Verwaltungverfahren erledigt werden, betonte er.

Auch im Burgenland wurde mittlerweile ein Mobilfunkpakt zwischen Land und Handynetz-Betreibern abgeschlossen, um den Handymasten-"Wildwuchs" einzudämmen. Mehr dazu in oesterreich.ORF.at Keine Kostensenkung für Nutzer Die von der niederösterreichischen ÖVP abgekündigten Preisersparnisse für die Niederösterreicher soll es jedenfalls laut FMK nicht geben.

Barmüller verwies darauf, dass die Umbau- und Stilllegungskosten bestenfalls durch die Einsparungen durch Mastenzusammenlegungen abgedeckt werden. "Es wird keinen Niederösterreich-Tarif geben, das war auch nie so ausgemacht", so Barmüller.

Die Konditionen im Mobilfunkpakt seien vertraglich festgelegt, die Unterschriften der fünf Mobilfunk-Manager "strafen die Aussagen Barmüllers Lügen", reagierte Gerhard Karner, Landesgeschäftsführer der Volkspartei NÖ, am Mittwoch auf die Aussagen des FMK-Chefs "Was Barmüller sagt, hat uns noch nie interessiert, interessiert uns jetzt nicht und wird uns auch nie interessieren".

"Barmüller war bei den Verhandlungen nie dabei und seine Aussagen haben noch in keiner Phase der Verhandlungen eine Bedeutung gehabt", sagte Karner.

[futurezone| APA]

http://futurezone.orf.at/it/stories/85295/

Jan 25 2006

Crewe Chronicle

ANGRY families are fighting plans for a 60ft mobile phone mast they say would be an eyesore in open countryside.

Vodafone has applied to Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council for planning permission to put up the mast on farmland off Wistaston Green Road in Crewe - close to schools, a nursery and recreation ground.

Residents turned out in force to a public meeting at Wistaston Memorial Hall on Monday night to form an action plan to fight the proposal they fear could endanger the health of children.

They are calling for support to prevent the mast and others springing up across South Cheshire.

A petition has been launched and flyers sent to residents urging them to object to the plans.

Campaign spokesman John Morris, 68, of Field Lane, said: 'The mast would be a blot on the landscape in open land opposite Field Lane and off Wistaston Green Road.

'That's near Wistaston Junior School, Westfields Infants School, La Maternelle child care facility and the new play area at Joey the Swan.

'Despite investigations by experts across the land, no one can yet rule out the potential harm of living close to a mast.

'People are fearful over the effects electro-magnetic radiation emitted by such a mast would have on their health and especially the health of children. There are far too many masts around Crewe and we don't want another.'

Wistaston Green Ward Conservative council candidate Jacquie Weatherill wants planners to stage a site meeting before a decision is made.

She said: 'Residents are concerned about the visual impact and possible health hazard of the erection of this mast, and in my view such an application should be fully reviewed.'

Vodafone wants the mast to boost coverage. Council spokesman David Snelson said: 'People have to February 10 to make their views known. The matter will then go before a development control meeting for decision in March.'

© owned by or licensed to Trinity Mirror Plc 2006

http://tinyurl.com/c2br7

By DOMINIC WIGGAN

BURNLEY'S MP Mrs Kitty Ussher has sworn to battle against plans to build more mobile phone masts in neighbourhoods across the borough.

Plans for more than 50 more phone masts to be placed around Burnley are in the pipeline, prompting residents to hold an emergency meeting on Friday to voice their opposition and argue to have them sited elsewhere.

It was revealed that the group may have a realistic chance to realise their goals if a new Bill is passed in parliament in early March.

Back-bench Tory David Currie has submitted the Tele-Communications Mast (Planning Control) Bill to the House, and if it receives enough support it could have dramatic effects.

Mrs Ussher told a busy meeting at the Central Methodist Church Hall that she is behind them 100% and referred to a government report about mobile phone masts.

She went on: "This is such an important subject. I have read a government report that states 'we cannot be entirely sure there is no risk to health'.

"As far as I'm concerned if there could be a risk, we should not be taking one. We must play as safe as we possibly can."

Mrs Ussher added that she hopes as many members of the house will back the Bill, adding: "The companies must be certain that there is no health risk whatsoever.

"If further down the line they are proved wrong, they are liable."

Mr David Halsall, of Burnley Borough Council's Development Control Committee, added that government rules meant the council has little option but to grant planning permission for a mobile phone mast to be built.

However, he added that the new Bill could help. He said: "We have to follow government guidance. Hopefully, the new Bill will allow us more freedom in taking into account health concerns."

Mr Dennis Cannon, chairman of Together Against Masts pressure group, dismissed recent press reports that suggested mobile phone technology caused no ill effects.

"It's biased research," he said. "It was paid for by mobile phone operators and only looked at a certain percentage of the population. It does not answer all the questions."

l To get in touch with Mr Dennis Cannon and add your support to Together Against Masts, email togetheragainstmasts@yahoo.co.uk .

24 January 2006

http://www.burnleytoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=12&ArticleID=1324356