Phone mast near school put on hold

Apr 17 2009 by Jenny Wood, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

HEALTH fears have put on ice a mobile phone company’s proposals for a mast overshadowing a Perth school and raised concerns over future plans.

Phone giant O2 applied for permission from Perth and Kinross Council to erect a 17.5 metre tall mast within the grounds of the treatment works on Gowans Terrace, just a short distance away from Perth Grammar School.

A member of the Grammar School’s parent council was one of those who stood up at a council meeting this week to object to the planned mast, airing concerns children could be steadily exposed to dangerous levels of radiation.

And Joyce McKay also raised the question of the UK’s lenient standards for siting phone masts close to schools.

“I cannot find anything in UK legislation about a safe distance from schools or residential housing, but American, Canadian and European legislation states that masts should be 500 metres from residential areas or schools,” she told councillors.

Also standing up to attack the proposal Perth City Centre councillor Archie MacLellan questioned the “proliferation” of mobile phone masts throughout the Fair City.

“Mobile phone companies are turning the Perth area into a giant pin cushion,” he hit out.

“It is time to have a look at the number of masts in the area and do something about it,” the councillor added.

Despite O2’s plans being recommended for approval by the council’s development quality manager Nick Brian, decision makers on Perth and Kinross’s development committee were not convinced.

Mr Brian reported that the relevant safety certificate had been received by the council and therefore health considerations were not a reason to reject the application.

But committee member Cllr Callum Gillies said: “I have worked all my days in the building trade and we were told asbestos was safe and MDF was safe, but now things are coming back to haunt us.

“If there is any possibility of danger to school children then we should be taking a responsible view and asking for better information,” he told fellow committee members.

Convenor of the committee Cllr Willie Wilson added: “The technology of 3G is a way ahead of the regulations. These regulations are nine to 10 years old and technology has leapt forward since then.”

And hinting at a likely commercial reason for O2’s choice of location, Cllr Wilson said: “Operators want a 3G mast near a school. It is the kids that are within the school that have the 3G phones, they are the ones that have the fancy technology.”

He proposed deferring making a decision until more information was available on safety and certification standards for the advanced technology.

The committee agreed to deferment and O2’s plans have been put on hold pending more information.