«Latest  ‹Forward   News item: 6509  Back›  Oldest» 

Phone mast work starts before planning permission granted
United Kingdom Created: 24 Jul 2014
A homeowner has spoken out against a mobile phone giant for disregarding planning procedures before installing new antennas.

Mum Rebecca Pitman was astonished when engineers started work on the chimney of the listed Brock Barracks building in West Reading before she had a chance to comment on the planning application.

Vodafone said it believed permission was likely to be granted by planners at Reading Borough Council but the council has ordered the company to cease further works.

Mrs Pitman, who can see the offending items at the bottom of her back garden in Wilson Road, said: “In the barracks I saw these guys with a cherry picker and I asked what they were doing and they said they were replacing the antennas.

“I phoned the council and they have had a planning application but it hasn’t been determined.

“Then I got my letter from the council later that day about the application saying I have until August 4 to give a comment.”

Mrs Pitman said she was told by a planning officer at the council there was nothing it could do about the phone company jumping the gun.

The application from CTIL, a joint venture between Vodafone and O2, is for the removal of the existing three antennas to be replaced with three new antennas on existing mounting brackets painted to match the existing brickwork.

But Mrs Pitman said they do not match.

She said: “The ones they had on there previously, although I could see them, were quite well camouflaged in the brick colour.

“The new ones are darker and are less discreet.”

Jane Frapwell, of Vodafone UK, said: “An application was submitted to the council to change the antennas on our existing site at Brock Barracks.

“The new antennas are same length but slightly narrower.

“We applied to make these changes six weeks ago and whilst planning permission has not yet been formally granted, as this change will not affect the appearance of the site, our understanding is that it is likely to be granted.”

But council spokeswoman Anna Fowler said: “Mobile phone antennas have been located in Brock Barracks for several years.

“Recently, the council received planning applications from Vodafone to replace the existing three antennas with three upgrades of a similar size.

“Although these applications are still under consideration, it appears that one or more of these antennas have already been installed by either Vodafone or CTIL.

“The council has spoken to Vodafone’s agent and has asked them not to undertake any further works until we have thoroughly assessed the current applications.”

Mrs Pitman was among a group of neighbours who campaigned against more phone masts being installed on Brock Barracks in 2010, with the support of Reading West MP Alok Sharma and nearby Wilson Primary School.

She said: “It’s a listed building. They should never have been allowed to put them on that chimney in the first place.”
Click here to view the source article.
Source: Get Reading, David Millward, 24 Jul 2014

«Latest  ‹Forward   News item: 6509  Back›  Oldest»