Anger at decision to go ahead with mast in Ponteland

Dec 21 2009 By Dave Black, The Journal

A TELECOMS giant has sparked anger by deciding to put up a mobile phone mast outside a popular primary school - despite only getting planning approval because of a council blunder.

Parents and local residents yesterday slammed Telefonica O² bosses for pressing ahead with the controversial plan to site the 12.5m high mast next to 450-pupil Darras Hall First School in Ponteland, Northumberland.

The company – which only got the green light for the sensitive location on a technicality – has made the decision after rejecting alternative sites suggested by the county council.

Seven months ago councillors rejected O²’s application to erect the mast next to the school following protests from parents and staff, which included fears over the potential health impacts of electromagnetic radiation.

However, it later transpired the refusal was invalid because it did not happen within the required 56 days of the application being received by the council.

The mistake left O² free to build the mast, but the company agreed to seek an alternative site. One was identified about 200 metres further along Broadway, next to elderly people’s flats.

That provoked a fresh storm of protests, with more than 300 residents and businesses signing letters and a petition and county councillors refused planning permission in November.

Since then O² has been looking at other alternative sites suggested by the county council, but now says none of them would provide the required coverage for the area.

The company says it has no alternative but to activate the permission it gained by default for the mast outside the school – and expects to put it up in the next two months.

Yesterday Vivienne Whyte of Darras Mews, who is part of the local protest campaign against the mast, said: "I am absolutely horrified at their lack of compassion for people’s feelings on this matter. Everyone round here feels it’s completely wrong to put a phone mast anywhere near children."

Ian McLean, a businessman who lives in The Drey, Darras Hall and whose daughter Lola is a pupil at the school, said parents would be horrified by O²’s decision, particularly because of the possible health risks to children.

"We have urged O² to take the precautionary route, because of the evidence about illnesses, but instead they are simply being reckless. Why would they want to put up a mast next to a school and close to two nurseries, old people’s housing, a doctor’s surgery and people’s houses? "There will be a big backlash against this decision and I don’t believe the battle is lost yet. We still hope to get it stopped one way or the other, and I would challenge O² to accept the findings of a local referendum on this."