Mast legislation 'an abuse of law'
A PHONE company is to erect a mast less than 15 yards from the front door of a man whose doctors have warned him to avoid mobiles.
Reg Hill, who lives directly opposite the planned site of a Vodafone mast in Stoke, fears the radio waves will affect him, his wife Denise and their two children. Mr Hill's son Graham died of a brain tumour in October 2000. Mr Hill says that specialists at Derriford warned him to avoid mobile phones.
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Reg Hill (right) and neighbour Dave Tuthill in the doorway of Mr Hills home in Dundonald Street, Stoke
"It's really getting me down," Mr Hill said. "I just can't let it happen but I don't know what to do now."
Angry Stoke residents have launched a campaign to stop Vodafone putting up the mast at the corner of Masterman Road and Keppel Place.
With the support of their local Conservative councillor, they are campaigning to change Government policy, which forces councils to give planning permission automatically for masts under 15 metres tall.
Stoke residents appealed earlier this year when Vodafone said it wanted to put up the mast.
Stoke councillor David Reynolds also objected, but says he heard nothing from Vodafone.
Plymouth City Council was forced to approve the installation because of Government legislation.
Campaign organiser David Tuthill said many people were unhappy.
"It appears that these people are given special privilege and can bypass the planning authority which the rest of us must abide by. It is a total abuse of the law that we are all expected to respect."
He said that the only warning was a small planning notice taped to a nearby lamppost which he did not see until it was almost too late to object.
In a test case last year the city council objected to a mast on a children's nursery in Old Laira Road, but the local government inspector stepped in and overturned the ruling – leaving the city council to pick up the bill.
Nationally there are now more than 50,000 mobile phone masts and that number is expected to rise by 8,000 a year for the next three years.
An expert committee chaired by Sir William Stewart in 2000 found no evidence for handsets or masts having negative health effects, but suggested that all masts, regardless of height, should be subject to full planning permission.
The group Mast Sanity, which campaigns for the safe siting of mobile phone masts, claims that cancer clusters, clusters of ill-health, depression and even suicide have been found close to masts and other wireless sources of radiation.
Vodafone said in a statement: "The proposed Vodafone radio base station is required to improve the 3G coverage to our customers in the area. This will provide our customers with access to mobile broadband with speeds similar to those offered by fixed line broadband.
"All of our base stations are designed, built and operated in accordance with stringent international guidelines. Typical public exposures from our base stations will be many hundreds, if not thousands, of times below these guidelines. The World Health Organisation has concluded that there is no convincing scientific evidence that the weak signals from base stations and wireless networks cause adverse health effects."
Dr Alison Mackenzie, consultant in public health for NHS Plymouth said: "The balance of current research evidence suggests that exposures below levels set out in international guidelines do not cause health problems for the general population. However, we recommend a precautionary approach to the use of mobile phones until more research findings become available."
13 Comments
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by C.Colbert, Dublin
Sunday, June 28 2009, 8:56PM
“I note that about 95 percent of newspaper articles on the mast isue give the industry website.
and their supporters the last word.
Medical science has not yet grasped the fact that the human body is an energetic entity, not just a an entity made up of chemicals, tissue, bones and organs etc. Microwave radiation does have adverse biological effects.
I experience them daily. The effects can literally ruin your life. Anyone who wishes to research the issue of adverse health effects from exposure to
MW/RF radiation can find
plenty of information on the
C.Colbert,
Hon. Sec. Irish Electromagnetic Radiation Victims' Network.”
by JJ, Brighton
Thursday, June 18 2009, 1:48PM
“50 yrs ago smoking was deemd good for the health.
How long before we get the truth about all these electro pulses flying around our heads?
Probably when its too late.
Enjoy your cancer ;-)”
by Humphrey Bumphrey, Stoke
Thursday, June 18 2009, 10:50AM
“There is no Insurance Company that I know off that will sell a policy that will indemnify individuals from the possible harmful effects of emmisions from these masts, one has to ask why if the so called evidence that there are no harmful effects is conclusive.Additionally if they are such things of beauty and a modern day 'must have' then why not site them on Plymouth Hoe,top of Royal Parade,Devonport Park,North Hill,Mannamead and Blockhouse Park etc.out in the open and away from people's houses but amongst the community that is so in love with them that they can be viewed on a daily basis. Why blight the lives of a few individuals?”
by Glidiator, Down Thomas
Thursday, June 18 2009, 10:39AM
“Leigh - The protocol on mobile phones if you have a pacemaker is to keep a distance of 6 inches from the device & to use it on the ear opposite to the side of implant.
These masts really don't cause any problems, old wives tales again I'm afraid!”
by Benny Factor, Mountain View
Thursday, June 18 2009, 10:38AM
“Are you the Henry Padolsey who is "Henry Padolsey, Director of Rowtex Ltd, which is marketing the [the Orchid Low Radiation DECT cordless] phone in the UK "?
If so, does your marketing strategy involve stirring up fear, uncertainty and doubt, when there is no scientific evidence that electromagnetic radiation used in communications devices is bad for people's health?
Perhaps you would be good enough to refer me to a peer reviewed study showing these devices cause health problems. Thanks.”
by Henry Padolsey, London
Thursday, June 18 2009, 10:21AM
“I agree that the mast should not be sited near Mr Hills home. In fact, there was a court ruling in Belgium last month that banned the installation of a cell phone mast due to possible health hazards. On a related subject were you aware that pulsed microwave emissions also come from your DECT cordless phone. These cordless phone base stations continue to emit this radiation 24/7/365 even if you are not making or receiving a call! This is a design flaw in the majority of cordless DECT phones. The problem has been partly solved with the availability of Low Radiation cordless DECT phones ¿ the only problem is they are not in the shops?”
by topper, malaga
Thursday, June 18 2009, 10:09AM
“well crop circles were the result of my old uncle ernie a few bottles of scrumpy and a plank of wood....”
by The Speculative One, Plymouth
Thursday, June 18 2009, 9:57AM
“Just having a reflective moment and wondered.. What would happen if, for example, and not that I agree with anything unlawlful etc.. but what if a large vehicle like a JCB or truck accidentally got its tow ropes caught round the mast by a freak of nature, You know like a one off tornado, and as it moved off past the mast, accidentally of course, nudged it enough to fall over? Things happen sometimes that just cant be explained...crop circles for example. And in time maybe if it happenned enough times the mast might just have to be re-located to an area not affected by such a natural meteorological phenomenon. Pure speculation of course.”
by Benny Factor, Mountain View.
Thursday, June 18 2009, 9:53AM
“Cheer up Reg, at least you can now use a friend's mobile to surf the interwebs at super high speeds to hook up with more nutjobs who think that these radio waves give people tumours. There's loads of them out there. Google for 'Luddite'. Or 'tin hat'.”
by Leigh, Plymouth
Thursday, June 18 2009, 9:09AM
“There is so much pathetic hysteria over the supposed effects of these masts and mobile phones. There have been hundreds of studies around the world and not a single one of them has ever concluded that there is actually a risk from these masts.
Years ago it was living near electricity pylons now these. People need to stop being so pathetic and move on. I bet that Reg Hill has a pacemaker, that is were the advice to avoid mobiles would have come from.”