Company retreats as campaigners claim phone mast win

nlnews@archant.co.uk
15 August 2007

LYNNE Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, meets officials from the phone company Hutchsion 3G at the controversial site.

TV star Neil Morrissey has welcomed news that he and fellow residents could be spared a controversial phone mast in Stroud Green.

Phone company Hutchison 3G won an appeal against a Haringey Council decision not to allow it planning permission for a 13.5 metre mast and base station on land off Mount View Road - but now says it has no plans to install it.

Neil Morrissey

Gareth Coombes-Olney, Hutchison corporate affairs manager, said: "Obviously, this has been quite a contentious site for the local community.

"We have a legal and valid planning permission for five years and we will revisit it but we're not intending to construct at this time.

"We have agreed if we decide to build it we will notify people."

The company explained the reason for not installing the mast now was because it was not currently in a "construction phase".

Mr Morrissey, who lives in Mount View Road, said: "I'm really pleased at the news that there are no imminent plans to build the mast, but still think it was a shame that local people weren't consulted earlier and reassured, rather than having to do their own research into the plans."

Residents have furiously opposed the mast in what is a conservation area, arguing it would spoil views over London and emit radiation into homes.

"We totally understand the concerns of people," said Mr Coombes-Olney. "It was a really good campaign using celebrities and being well organised but it's sad they've had to do it. Operators don't want to go head to head with these people because they're the same people using our services."

Robin Derham, co-ordinator of Mount View and Womersley Roads Neighbourhood Group, gave a cautions welcome to the news.

He said: "We're relieved it's on hold for the time being but we remain totally opposed and ready to react whenever we hear of any further developments."

Lynne Featherstone, Hornsey and Wood Green MP, said: "If that is true then it's one small step for local residents and hurrah for Hutchison if they have listened - even in the short term."



THE COMPANY behind controversial plans for a Stroud Green mobile phone mast has complained that sites are limited because of a Haringey Council "moratorium".

Gareth Coombes-Olney, Hutchison 3G corporate affairs manager, said: "The local authority has a moratorium which means they are not willing to allow any allocated development on any land site on their property. It removes a large portion of land in the borough which could be used for sites."

He added companies were "forced to use what is then highways land such as pavements, little scraps of green, a corner piece of road".

These only allowed for smaller less powerful masts meaning more were needed.

Speaking after a drawn out dispute with residents over plans for a mast in Mount View Road, he urged the council to allow all available land to be considered.

"We're not saying let us in and let us do anything but look at every site on its own merits," he said.

Councillor Kaushika Amin, Haringey Council's cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise, said: "There has been no change in policy of the type described. We have been criticised in the past for allowing masts to be erected on council buildings.

"It would be ironic if we now face criticism for supposedly not allowing them to be installed on council buildings.

"At the end of the day, there are many residents who don't want new phone masts in any part of the borough.

"Our job is to balance those concerns with the strict planning criteria that we - and every other local authority - must abide by when considering phone mast applications.

"However, we introduced new planning guidance last year to address residents' concerns on the number of masts in the borough, and we will continue to adopt this tough line against all new applications.