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Council dithering blamed for mast
Wales Created: 12 Oct 2008
A MOBILE firm says Swansea Council's dithering has once again resulted in a phone mast going up — despite the scheme being refused planning permission.

Vodafone bosses claim they did not receive an official notice in time, which ruled a transmitter in Gorseinon was not allowed to go ahead.

Residents, who say the mast is too near homes and fear it could damage their health, are furious.

Hazel Stock's Lime Street home is just 15 metres behind the towering mast.

She said: "If this mast has been allowed to stay up because of an administrative error then I am really angry. This mast is too close to residential areas and clearly should not be allowed to have been put up."

The plans for the 49ft tall mast, based in the grounds of Gorseinon RFC, have met with fierce opposition since they were first made public last year.

A petition was signed by hundreds in the community and objections were raised by the town council too.

People living near the mast said it would knock thousands of pounds off the value of their homes. And Gorseinon Infants School, which is just a few yards from the site, also voiced its fears over possible risks to health.

Last December, Swansea Council's planning committee refused to give planning permission.

But come August, locals were baffled when they saw contractors putting up the six-antennae mast.

Last month the work was finished.

And Vodafone insists it is in the right.

A spokesman said: "For a decision notice to be valid, the local planning authority must follow a two-stage process.

"They must firstly confirm whether their prior approval is required, or not. If it is required then they must give their decision on whether it is approved or refused. Swansea Council did not follow this process and we did not receive a valid decision notice within the 56-day time limit and accordingly we believe that we have planning consent."

Earlier this month, the Assembly's planning inspectorate said a phone mast in Townhill was allowed to stay because Swansea Council had missed a vital deadline by 24 hours.

Swansea Council, did not comment on whether a similar mistake had been made with the Gorseinon transmitter, but said it was Vodafone who were in the wrong.

A spokesman added: "We have recently issued a notice to the company requesting removal of the mast."
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Source: This Is South Wales, 12 Oct 2008

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