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Phone mast set to get green light
PLANS to put up a 20-metre high mobile phone mast within a Clare Conservation Area have been recommended for approval despite strong objections from neighbours, Clare Town Council and the Clare Society.
Orange Personal Communications wants to put up the mast at land off Hermitage Farm, at Snow Hill and members of St Edmundsbury Borough Council's development control committee, meeting today, were being recommended to approve the plan.
Clare Town Council recommended refusal of the plan on grounds of an unsuitable location due to the conservation area, designated walks, proximity to nearby houses and schools and Townioners’ concerns over possible health issues.
The Clare Society raised strong objections to the plan saying: “The positioning is insensitive being adjacent to footpaths…an intrusion from many points of the compass…too close to habitation and a major environmental eyesore”.
The Clare Society went on to say: “Although a hazard to health has not been proven, even the slightest risk should be sufficient grounds for rejection. This site lies within 650 metres from Clare Middle School, 1000 metres from Clare Primary School and 500 metres from a nearby housing estate called Clare Heights”.
A total of 26 letters of objection were received from neighbours, who described an option to disguise it as a mock dead tree as “an insult”. They also said the mast would be highly visible and a blot on the landscape in an area of outstanding natural beauty. It was felt other sites should be considered and that the mast was unnecessary as there was already adequate mobile phone coverage in Clare.
A report to the committee said that all alternative sites had been dismissed, and the proximity of homes or schools to the Hermitage site were well beyond the reach of greatest radio intensity coming from the mast.
Story By: Jo Deeks Email Link: jodeeks@haverhillweeklynews.co.uk
Date : 06-02-2003
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