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DEVELOPMENT: Mast battle heads to the High Court
CAMPAIGNERS are to take the fight to a global mobile phone company who want to put a mast up near to their homes.
CAMPAIGNERS are to take the fight to a global mobile phone company who want to put a mast up near to their homes.Despite assurances from the Hutchison 3G (H3G) network that the planned 25-metre tall mast near to homes in Suttons Lane, Deeping Gate, will cause no harm, residents are fearful of adverse health effects and the visual impact to the area.
Led by resident Simon Hoppe, they have now formed a group which is attempting to raise enough cash for a serious High Court challenge.
Mr Hoppe has already visited 100 houses in the area canvassing support for the pressing campaign, winning support from nearly every resident to voice their opinions and attend meetings.
The Stop the Mast Action Group has already collected 2,300 from home-owners' donations to fight the mast plan.
Mr Hoppe said: "They (H3G) have had their way so far, but we are not lying down. We urgently need support in this campaign – in the interests of our local environment and landscape, our families' health and the negative effect on property prices."
Residents thought they had defeated the international mobile phone operator back in 2004, when Peterborough City Council rejected the application following residents' strong objections.
But to their horror, H3G appealed to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and won.
The residents claim the mast will be visible from 100 houses and will ruin the tranquil look of the area.
They worry that electromagnetic radiation given off by the mast will be harmful to people nearby, especially children and people with specific health conditions.
H3G claim the site is the only place it can put a mast to provide phone coverage to that area.
Verity Stanford, spokeswoman for the company, said: "We do recognise that the presence of base stations can cause concern among some people.
"But the slender monopole will be sited in a remote corner, well away from the nearest residential properties, and the surrounding belt of trees will effectively screen it from view.
"The consistent and reassuring message of the global scientific community is that base stations operating to guidelines do not cause adverse health effects."
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Friday 25 May 2012
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