Are Residents Views Taken Into Consideration?
Arising from an issue at Tuesday evening's planning schedule meeting, a discussion took place on the proposed placing of a mobile phone mast at Kerr's Wood on the Crawfordsburn Road. I stated that, I am not against mobile phone masts – they are almost an essential part of modern day life. They have been used in many emergencies, e.g. the train derailment in Co Antrim and more recently the pictures taken by mobile phones in London have given the police evidence and information.
However at the site meeting for a proposed phone mast with associated equipment of 3 cabinets at Kerr’s Wood on the footpath of Crawfordsburn Road, residents were very concerned just how close this was going to be to nearby houses.
At the site meeting a number of issues were raised and it was requested and agreed that O2 would carry out a Radio Frequency Radiation Survey. Also, at the meeting I got the impression that the area of reception was fairly short and quite a number of masts would be necessary for mobile phones.
I have formally requested that the Radiation Survey for the area be carried out and that 02 provide Councillors with a map of the Borough with present and proposed masts shown. I would also like to see a map with all masts highlighted, as Councillors we seem to be looking at these requests every month.
The Road Service and the Planning Service agree to the placement of masts and at the site meeting, the residents realised that the 300m area the Council have as a policy on mobile phone masts as a distance from houses, carries little weight.
Phone masts are necessary to enable a mobile phone service to operate, but people simply do not want these placed near their homes, and I totally agree with them. Like many issues within the planning service, residents’ feelings and considerations appear to play little or no part in decision-making. I feel very strongly that their views must be considered and not simply meetings arranged with the view of some – ‘lets have this site meeting and then do what we want.’
However at the site meeting for a proposed phone mast with associated equipment of 3 cabinets at Kerr’s Wood on the footpath of Crawfordsburn Road, residents were very concerned just how close this was going to be to nearby houses.
At the site meeting a number of issues were raised and it was requested and agreed that O2 would carry out a Radio Frequency Radiation Survey. Also, at the meeting I got the impression that the area of reception was fairly short and quite a number of masts would be necessary for mobile phones.
I have formally requested that the Radiation Survey for the area be carried out and that 02 provide Councillors with a map of the Borough with present and proposed masts shown. I would also like to see a map with all masts highlighted, as Councillors we seem to be looking at these requests every month.
The Road Service and the Planning Service agree to the placement of masts and at the site meeting, the residents realised that the 300m area the Council have as a policy on mobile phone masts as a distance from houses, carries little weight.
Phone masts are necessary to enable a mobile phone service to operate, but people simply do not want these placed near their homes, and I totally agree with them. Like many issues within the planning service, residents’ feelings and considerations appear to play little or no part in decision-making. I feel very strongly that their views must be considered and not simply meetings arranged with the view of some – ‘lets have this site meeting and then do what we want.’
posted by Marion Smith at 11:20 AM
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