Villagers pledge to fight mobile phone mast scheme

Residents from a village near Bath are vowing to fight plans fora 57-foot phone mast.

Mobile phone companies Vodafone and O2 want permission to installthe shared antenna and cabinets alongside Warminster Road atBathampton.

Residents say it could pose a health risk and be an eyesore and,as trees will have to be felled in order for it to be built, coulddestroy owl and bat habitats. Local resident Andrew Cook, 47, saidthat only people living directly opposite the proposed location hadbeen notified about the planning application but many villagers hadvoiced concerns.

He said: "I have got quite a long email trail since I put aletter out to let people know what was happening.

It was quite interesting that I have been inundated with emailsfrom people thanking me for bringing it to their attention andsaying they would contact the council.

"At its heart I think the primary concerns are about health.

"You can't rule out potential for long-term health risks becausethe technologies haven't been in place for long enough to question."

Some residents have commissioned a report by a firm of planningand development consultants that they say proves their concerns arejustified.

One man, who lives near the proposed site, says in a letter ofobjection to Bath and North East Somerset Council: "People rightlydo not want to live near mobile phone masts, and hence propertyvalues in this prime residential area will be impacted."

So far 40 objections against the application have been received.

Vodafone said the site had been chosen because both companies hadidentified the need to improve 3G coverage in the village.

"This location was chosen after consideration of six other sitesas it provides a backdrop of trees against which the proposed mastwill not be visually intrusive," said Dr Rob Matthews, Vodafone'selectromagnetic field manager.

"We recognise that some communities are concerned regarding thedeployment of radio base stations close to residential areas butwithout radio base stations, mobile phones will not work. "All ofour base stations are designed, built and operated in accordancewith stringent international guidelines by the InternationalCommission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection. "The adoption ofthese guidelines has the formal backing of independent bodies suchas the World Health Organisation.

"Typical public exposures from our base stations will be manyhundreds, if not thousands, of times below these guidelines."