Planning and Mobile Phone Masts
At tonight’s meeting of the Development Control Panel there was yet another applicaation for a mobile phone mast, this time on the roadside between houses and the Brockwell Centre in Cramlington. It’s not in my ward but the principles are the same wherever.
The application was only for “siting and design”, not a planning application as such.
Understandably local residents had concerns about this application, mostly about the possible health problems that come with these masts. I say possible health hazards as we don’t really know what to think as there is so much conflicting information (and mis-information?)
But we could not even debate these as under the law (Town & Country Planning (General Permitted Development ) Order 1995) phone masts under 15 metre are permitted developments.
Luckily the recommendation was to refuse under the siting part of the act, but as I said in moving the recommendation to refuse , “I feel the same frustration as the residents in that we cannot take possible health matters into account in these applications”.
We are there representing the people of Blyth Valley and looking at these matters in their best interests. And yet the law does not let us do that, it gives more or less automatic approval to these masts.
The application WAS refused, but the moment was spoiled by one Labour councillor saying that the (opposition) councillors who spoke against the mast were playing to the gallery. And that is rich coming from that councillor!!
have your say
