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Outcry at plans for phone mast on green belt

Stuart Pike
16/11/2005

ANGRY residents who claim they discovered an application to site a phone mast in Marple Bridge green belt just days before the consultation deadline have slammed the planning process.

By planning law, only households within a 100m radius of developments need be consulted, and there were just three houses within this distance of the site, at Old Hall Farm.

But at a packed Marple Area Committee, local residents objected to the 12.5m telegraph pole mast and dish, which planners had listed for recommendation although it was a departure from the borough's Unitary Development Plan.

Alan Morley, of Low Lea Road, said: "We object on the basis that it's in the green belt and its impact on a special landscape area.

"There's a strong objection against it. We didn't know anything about this at all until the end of last week. We haven't been given the chance to present anything. The recommendation is here for approval without any chance for local people to have a say. You've failed in consulting us."

Ward councillors added they were also unaware of the application until it appeared on the meeting agenda as pre-application notifications were not sent to them either.

A speaker on behalf of the operator Hutchison 3G said that they had consulted in line with planning guidelines and the application met international radiation exposure requirements.

She said: "The planning department was contacted in writing on August 12 and September 9.

"If the planning department had come back and said we insist you consult ward councillors then we almost certainly would have done that."

Green belt developments represent a departure from the unitary plan, but telecoms installations may be permitted in 'special circumstances' if no other site can be found to achieve the coverage.

The application was referred to the planning and highways committee for a site visit and period for objections expires on December 7.