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17th May
- Shameful events in the Town Hall
Residents representing areas of Bournemouth affected by recent Town
Hall planning bungles were invited to speak at the 17th May Cabinet
meeting, assured that their ideas and concerns would be listened
to as the Council updated its policy on masts.
To everyone's astonishment they learnt that the Council had already
made up its mind - choosing a new policy almost identical to the
old one.
The speakers,
who represented over 4,000 residents were not listened to, their
suggestions were ignored and their worries were not addressed. The
Council had in fact made its mind up two days earlier and made it
clear any other ideas would not be considered.
New policy
will make no difference to Bournemouth
The Council's new policy allows Council land 100 metres away from
residential properties to be used for siting masts. Placed in context
it will have little influence as to where masts go as Highways
land (e.g. most pavements) is not classified as Council land
and mobile phone operators are charged no annual fee.
This policy
will be of little help to concerned residents of Queen's Park where
a mast will be placed on Highway's land or in Moordown where the
mast is on private property (see below for details).
Tobias Ellwood
proposed alternative solution:
Allow all Council land to be considered by phone operators,
subject to the approval of a full planning application. This will
ensure residents are consulted, the proposal is properly debated
and voted upon and the Council can commercially benefit from any
successful mast application.
This solution will not deter mobile phone operators from considering
Council land in the first place and will increase the number of
locations where any individual mast could be placed. Tobias Ellwood
put this proposal to the Cabinet in the form of a written deputation
- but it was not given consideration.
18th April
- Deputation to Town Hall
Tobias Ellwood MP made a deputation at the full Council meeting
in the Town Hall on the 18th of April, when he outlined some of
the problems and solutions surrounding the planning applications
for mobile phone masts, below is a summary of what he said:
Introduction
Thank
you Mr. Mayor for this opportunity to address the Council today.
As power is progressively removed from Town Halls across the region
to the dreaded South West Regional Assembly, it is important that
local MPs work closely with councils for the benefit of communities.
I hope this will be the first of many opportunities for us to work
together for the good of Bournemouth.
Objective
The
subject today is mobile phone masts and my objective is to underline
the concerns expressed by over 4,000 residents who have signed petitions
calling for:
• A more open and transparent process.
• Wider consultation.
• Greater use of the Council website to keep residents informed.
• Assistance in securing new locations for respective masts.
I have had meetings
with the relevant mobile phone operators and residents. Real progress
has now been made.
To summarize:
Mast
on the Holly Tree pub, Wimbourne Road
Hutchison 3G placed this mast (disguised as a flag pole) on the
Holly Tree pub without properly consulting local residents. Concerned
residents formed themselves into an organised group and following
an effective demonstration the operator has now agreed to consider
alternative sites.
Mast
at Fisherman's Walk, West Southbourne
Planning permission for this mast was REFUSED. But as Vodafone was
not informed of the decision in the correct manner they were able
to erect the mast anyway.
Local councillors said nothing more could be done but again, following
an effective demonstration by residents and a letter campaign, Vodafone
have now agreed to consider alternative sites. Vodafone
claim they received no guidance from the Town Hall prior to the
submission of their application.
Wessex
Way slip road, Queen's Park
Planning permission was REFUSED but as the operators (O2) were not
informed in the statutory 56 day period the planning decision was
void. The mast has now been erected a stone's throw from Park Primary
school.
Bizarrely Vodafone
have been GRANTED planning permission for another mast in the same
area, sited even closer to the school. They have made it clear that
they would be happy to share a mast and an artificial tree would
be ideal way to achieve this. They were however advised by the Town
Hall that a second mast structure would be preferable.
Powers for
the Council to act
It is very easy to blame national policy for limiting the influence
local councils have as most mast applications come under 'Permitted
Development' (bypassing the requirement for the full planning process
to be followed). However the revised ODPM Code of Best Practice
guidelines emphasises the need for greater public consultation for
all mast and antennae development (whether permitted or not).
Health Issues
The Government's policy guidance notes (no.8) Telecommunications
states that "the balance of evidence indicates that there
is no general risk to the health of people living near base stations
on the basis that exposures are expected to be small fractions of
the guidelines. However, there can indirect adverse effects on their
well-being in some cases" (para 89). It states the
possibility of harm cannot be ruled out with confidence and that
the gaps in knowledge are sufficient to justify a precautionary
approach.
Para 97 states
that "Health considerations and public concern can in principle
be material considerations in determining applications for planning
permission and prior approval. Whether such matters are material
in a particular case is ultimately a matter for the courts.
It is for
the decision maker (usually the local planning authority) to determine
what weight to attach to such considerations in any particular case."
Therefore, councillors
you do have the power and authority. Please use it.
Turning a
challenge into an opportunity
As we all use mobile phones, masts are a necessity. The absence
of a local strategy to handle the roll out of the third generation
of masts has not only led to friction with residents but has meant
the Council is ignoring potential commercial benefits. The rental
income from a typical mast can be from £3,000 to £10,000
depending on the location. With around a hundred masts already granted
planning permission the Council is forgoing a potential £500,000
a year because council land is not being used.
Use of Council
Land
The moratorium on the use of Council land for masts means not a
penny from this potential rental income goes to the Town Hall (the
Council's policy states that no land within 200 metres of a residential
property can be used) - effectively removing any council land from
consideration. The Council claims that it does receive around £14,000
a year from a couple of masts on council land but this a far cry
from the total commercial benefits potentially available to Bournemouth.
Mobile phone operator Orange said last week that the Council's mast
policy would prevent a successful application for a mast on Richmond
Gardens car park (council property).
Letting us
- not the operators - control the agenda
Blackpool uses its obvious landmark to house a number of the town's
mobile phone antennas, as does Portsmouth. If we use our imagination
and think creatively, ugly masts could be replaced by flag poles
flying the blue flags (possibly illuminated at night) which would
become a feature for Bournemouth rather than an eye sore.
Wifi and
Wimax - the next generation
If we want to comprehensively take control of this challenge and
harness the opportunities opening up to us then we should consider
the introduction wifi and wimax; the ability for mobile phones to
link into the wireless network, which allows computers to link into
the Internet remotely. This is being rolled out for the financial
district in the City of London.
Were Bournemouth
to go down this line it would not only remove the requirement for
large mobile phone masts, it would make our town one of the most
attractive places for businesses (particularly in the financial
sector) to be based.
Conclusion
At present, it is not the council who is controlling where masts
are being erected, but the mobile phone operators. Residents feel
disenfranchised from the consultation process and Bournemouth is
losing out on thousands of pounds in annual income.
I ask the Council
to support the work that local residents have done in seeking to
secure alternative sites for the Fisherman's Walk, Wessex Way and
Wimbourne Road locations.
I strongly urge
the Council to create a more open and transparent consultation process,
a more robust approach to dealing with mast applications (taking
advantage of new and existing guidelines) and review the policy
on the use of council land which effectively outlaws the use of
council land.
*
The council has made efforts to improve the amount of information
available regarding masts (existing and planned) but it has been
very difficult to get a full picture - hence the need for more information
on the Council's website, rather than archived in the Town Hall.
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