City Council backs Parliamentary bid to challenge phone masts on health grounds

10.19.44pm GMT Thu 10th Mar 2005

Brighton & Hove City Council has tonight passed a resolution to support a bid by Liberal Democrats in Parliament to bring mobile phone masts under strict planning control and introduce a 'precautionary principle', giving extra safeguards for schools, homes, and medical facilities from the risk of excessive radiation. The Bill is being proposed next week by Lib Dem MP Andrew Stunell.

The positioning of mobile phone masts has caused controversy across the country as masts have been put up close to schools, hospitals and residential areas. Local planning authorities do not currently have any powers to block mast applications for masts below 15m and only have limited powers for those above.

Lib Dem Council Group Leader, Councillor Paul Elgood said: "It is easier to get planning permission for a mast than it is for a porch. This is an alarming situation and needs to be addressed.

"This bill will allow planning authorities to take account of health concerns and will require the industry to produce more evidence about the radiation emitted, and to justify the need for each mast.

"I hope that the bill gains all party support given the unknown and as yet unresearched effects the masts might have on public health."

The council amendment read as follows:

This Council calls on the Government and the City's three MPs to support Andrew Stunell MP's 'Telecommunications Masts Planning Control Bill' which is due to be heard in Parliament on 18 March 2005. The Private Members is sponsored by MPs in each of the main parties, including John Bercow MP (Conservative), Derek Wyatt MP (Labour) and Mark Oaten MP (Liberal Democrat) and if successful would change planning law for masts (of all kinds) to bring them back under full control by the local authority. It will also bring in the 'precautionary principle', requiring all applications to show clearly where the most intense beam of radiation would fall, and if that includes schools, medical facilities, or homes, require the phone company to provide additional information about health effects. The Planning Authority would then be able to fully take account of any risks in assessing whether to grant permission.

Paul Elgood

David Watkins

Dawn Davidson

Notes to editors

1) The Telecommunications Mast (Planning Control) Bill is a Private Members Bill introduced by Andrew Stunell MP (Liberal Democrat), and with all party support and MP sponsors from the three main parties.

2) First Reading: 12th January 2005

Second Reading debate timetabled for 18th March 2005.

3) Andrew Stunell's Bill is based on the work of the All Party Mobile Phones Group, whose report last year recommended the re-imposition of normal planning controls on phone masts (at present there are wide-spread exemptions which frustrate objectors and planning authorities), and the adoption of the 'Precautionary Principle' when considering applications.

The main provisions of the Bill reflect these recommendations:

Clause 1 specifies that every mast application must include a 'precautionary principle' statement. If that statement does not give a particular mast a clean bill of health, that can now be a reason for refusal. (At present all health issues are reserved to central government in relation to masts.)

Clause 2 requires that the statement set out details about the intensity and direction of the signal radiated from the mast. If the strongest part of the radiation falls on school or other educational buildings or land, or on any medical facilities, or on homes then, in certain circumstances, that could provide sufficient grounds for refusal of planning permission. (At present a Planning Authority can take no such evidence into account).

Another important step is to bring all masts back within the planning system - at present those below 15 metres high (around 50 feet) are exempt from control.

4) b The measures in the Bill are opposed by the Government and by the mobile phone industry.

Supporters of the proposals are asked to encourage their MP to support the Bill, and also to write in support to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (responsible for planning legislation), and to the Department of Trade and Industry (responsible for the mobile phone industry), encouraging them to adopt the precautionary principle, and to withdraw their opposition to the Bill.

Sir William Stewart, the former Chief Advisor to government, originally crystallised concerns about health risks associated with telecommunications masts in his first Report. The present Bill, and the work of the All Party Group, takes much of its inspiration from Sir William's work.

Footnote: Sir William has just issued a second report, recommending that young children should not use mobile phones because of un-quantified risks to their health from radiation. This is not covered in the present Bill.