THINK you are safe from mobile phone masts? Think again.
It was by pure accident that we found out that two 6ft Vodafone mobile telephone mast were being erected on the roof of a block of flats right next door to us.
The freeholder, who lives in Essex, had granted a 20-year lease without any consultatio
n to any leaseholder/resident.
We found out from the planning department that consent was not required as it came under the "permitted development" banner.
The government grant licences to the phone companies, giving them revenue in excess of £22 billion.
Again, it is profit over people, as they will not take any research into health implications into consideration.
We tried to get the local MP to intervene but we were told by him to be adult about it, and that the radiation emitted from the mast is only equal to that given off by a domestic fridge and that there was no proof it caused illness (how long did it take to find out how bad asbestos is for our health?).
He also said that if we made a fuss and complained too strongly we would be down-valuing our own properties as people would know where the masts were placed.
As they stand out like a sore thumb, they are easily seen.
In brief, if you live in or close to a block of flats, be aware that the freeholder can grant permission without any consultation to residents and you cannot do a thing to prevent it.
West Worthing is a bad area for phone signals and we were reliably told that all the other phone companies will be looking to put up their masts in the area, too.
There must be hundreds of people in the same position as us but nothing is going to change until we all stand up and say enough is enough.
S Taylor and S Lambert
Wallace Avenue Action GroupNOTE: All letters must include a name and address which can be withheld by request.
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