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Widnes: Phone mast bid falls down Jun 2 2005
United Kingdom Created: 2 Jun 2005
Giant mast project fails

ONE of the latest plans to construct a giant mobile phone mast in Widnes has been nipped in the bud by Halton Borough Council.
In recent months the council has been backing hundreds of residents across the town who have co-ordinated protest campaigns in a bid to block the
'eyesore' transmitters.
The latest O2 application to be rejected was for a 15 metre monopole mast with three antennae which was to be built at the junction of the Liverpool Road
and Lower-house Lane, Widnes.
Residents are up in arms at O2's determination to get new masts in the area to support the 'Third Generation' telephone network they claim need bigger and
more powerful installations.
But the council has acted swiftly to thrown out the latest proposals.
The first was submitted in December 2004, for a 15 metre mobile phone mast - the planning application rejected in January this year.
O2 then appealed against the refusal decision and in the meantime the company submitted a further revised application for a 12.5m mast.
Both have now been rejected.
A council spokeswoman said: 'Halton Borough Council has once again received the support of the Planning Inspectorate in rejecting a mast proposal.
'The council has had full backing from the planning inspectorate to refuse planning permission for a mast to be constructed at the junction of Liverpool Road
and Lowerhouse Lane in Widnes.'
Deni Newman, of Halton Friends of the Earth, said: 'The controversy over the risk from mobile phones is heightened by the industry's insistence on subjecting
us all to pulsed wave emissions 24-hours-a-day.
'The pulsed waves act in a similar way to invisible strobe lighting and the resulting interference on human brain wave patterns may result in symptoms such
as altered sleep and behaviour, audio and visual disturbance and loss of concentration.'
Aug 4 2005. Widness Weekly News

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MOBILE phone giant O2 has suffered defeat over the proposed siting of a controversial phone mast which Widnes residents believed would be a major eyesore and a potential health threat.
Since September last year, hundreds of residents have protested against the company's plans to construct a mast at the corner of Birch-field Road and Derby Road, opposite Widnes Cemetery.
But the company lodged an appeal with the Government's Planning Inspectorate after Halton Borough Council refused to give it the go-ahead.
The council has now claimed a victory for those who demanded the plans be thrown out.
A council spokeswoman said: 'The Planning Inspectorate agreed with the council that the proposal was not the best environmental option and like the council was not convinced that there was not a better alternative site in the vicinity.
'There had also been a large number of objections from local residents who were concerned about the possible effect on health.'
Cllr Rob Polhill, executive board member for the planning transportation and regeneration, said: 'The council's position on telecommunications masts is very clear - we will always work to ensure that the best environmental option is secured within the Government guidelines and in this case we were successful.'
Since the planning application was first handed to the council a series of objection campaigns were launched on the grounds of 'visual amenity' and the mast's potential for harming human health.
Protesters stressed concern that the combined radiation from the mast and two others nearby could have a greater health impact.
Residents say the borough already has enough masts but believe O2 is still determined to construct more Third Generation masts in other parts of Widnes.
By Adrian Short, Weekly News




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