Anger as mast switched back on


20 January 2005 11:45

A campaigner from North Walsham said he might have to move for the safety of his young son after the go-ahead was given for a controversial phone mast to be switched back on.

A planning inspector decided O2 Airwave's mast, which will serve the emergency services, above North Walsham Police Station in Yarmouth Road could be turned on again. The decision has angered campaigners, who have fought the mast since it was installed, despite an identical application being turned down by councillors.

"I've got a three-and-a-half-year-old son who I don't want to be exposed to this 24 hours a day," said Matthew Pennington, a founding member of the Campaign Against Tetra Siting (CATS).

"I have got no alternative but to find somewhere else to live. I'm going to lose money on my house because of it."

Mr Pennington, 42, who lives on Yarmouth Road with his wife Rachel Kirk and son Henry, said he had spoken to Simon Partridge, leader of North Norfolk District Council, who was discussing today whether or not to take the case to the High Court.

"It would be very expensive and it may well be that it's not in their interests to do that," said Mr Pennington, who said campaigners had also been in contact with pressure group Mast Sanity. "They said if we find anyone who can claim legal aid in the area then they could recommend solicitors who would be able to use that to take the case to the High Court."

Last year, North Norfolk district councillors refused planning permission and ordered O2 Airwave to stop using the equipment because of a feared risk to public health and a breach of planning control. But the planning inspectorate allowed an O2 appeal yesterday, saying the council did not provide compelling reasons for withholding planning permission.

"I am very disappointed by this outcome, but I do feel vindicated that the decision to take enforcement action was the right one," said Mr Partridge. "There may be very little we can do now, but the council will study the appeal decision very carefully to see if there are any grounds for challenging it."

North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb said the outcome "overruled the democratic decision made locally".

Villagers had complained of nosebleeds, dizziness, nausea and sleeplessness while the phone mast had been switched on.

Andrew Davidson, 48, from Worthing in Sussex, heads the national campaign group Tetrawatch, which carried out a survey of the health of people living near the mast, which was installed there last February.

"We surveyed 1,300 households and got 450 responses," said Mr Davidson. "Of those, about 58 per cent had had problems since this mast was turned on."

But O2 insisted the radio emissions were safe and claimed new scientific evidence backed up its case. Josh Bearle, O2 Airwave spokesman, said the Tetra equipment would be switched on this week and a temporary mast next to North Walsham Garden Centre removed.

"We are delighted with the decision because it gives the police and people of North Walsham what they require," he said. "However, it is regrettable because of the amount of time and energy spent on this when the council could have come to this decision a year ago."

He added the company would not build a bigger mast as a result of the planning inspectorate decision.

Are you battling a mobile phone mast application? Call Evening News reporter Peter Walsh on (01603) 772439 or

e-mail peter.walsh@archant.co.uk

Email A Friend

News: Latest headlines on Evening News 24