Lib Dem leader calls for mobile phone mast rethink

Date published: 07/12/2005

Leader of the Liberal Democrats in Rochdale, Cllr. Alan Taylor, is calling on Rochdale Council to review all mobile phone masts currently on Council property.

Councillor Alan Taylor said, "The issue of the siting of mobile phone masts is one of great concern to many people living, working or being educated in Rochdale. This is why this issue rightly provokes a massive increase in the size of a Councillor's postbag/in box whenever an application for a mast is proposed in their ward.  I think that Rochdale Council should be harder on applicants - when a mobile phone operator applies for permission to erect a mast, especially on Council land we should be rigorous in making sure that local people or those working, day in day out near the site are borne in mind.  This Council needs to send a clear message to the mobile phone operators that Rochdale Council will closely scrutinise their work with a series of checks and balances that should always put public safety at the forefront of the Council's mind.  I appreciate that mobile phones are a huge part of people's social and business lives, but we should always have the safety of the public in mind."

When a mobile phone operator applies to erect a mast, Rochdale Council have three options in the way that they deal with it:

1. Permitted Development: Usually for small mast.
2. Prior Approval: Council Officers (not Councillors) look at various siting, size and other issues connected to the application.
3. Full Planning Permission: A mast follows the usual planning application process.

Councillor Taylor continued, "I have asked our Rochdale MP, Paul Rowen, to ask some serious questions of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister about mobile phone masts.  Council's are currently advised that they need to look at issues like the appearance or siting of a particular mast.  They are advised by the Government not to take into account any of the health issues associated with mobile phone masts.  I think this is fundamentally wrong. I have been contacted by dozens of residents about mobile phone masts and residents concerns simply cannot be addressed by the current process.  Until this is sufficiently addressed by the Government, I am calling for Rochdale Council, as a significant landowner, to maximise its influence on the siting of mobile phone masts, impose a series of strict conditions and review all the masts currently on their property."