Protesters still hope to stop Darras Hall phone mast
Jan 16 2010 by David Black, The Journal
PROTESTERS were yesterday given renewed hope that controversial plans for a mobile phone mast next to a popular North East school could yet be stopped.
Telecoms giant Telefonica O² said there are ‘many discussions still to be had’ before it goes ahead with the 12.5m-high mast next to 450-pupil Darras Hall First School in Ponteland, Northumberland.
Hundreds of parents, local residents and businesses are strongly opposing the mast on The Broadway, which only got approval last year because of a county council planning blunder.
Councillors rejected an application for planning permission, but O² got the green light by default because the authority failed to make the decision within the 56 days required by law.
Last month O² said it was pressing ahead with building the mast next to the school, after a search for alternative sites ended in failure.
But yesterday – as North East MEP Fiona Hall became the latest to enter the fray – the company revealed that talks are still going on behind the scenes in a bid to find a compromise.
Spokesman Tom Powell said the mast would not be going up imminently, adding: “There are many discussions still to be had about this issue. There is much discussion going on within the organisation about how we proceed with this particular site.
