O2 get the ok for mast near school

Jun 19 2009 by Johnathon Menzies, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A PERTH parent has accused Perth and Kinross Council’s planning wing of showing a “complete disregard” for safety after a controversial mobile phone mast was approved a stone’s throw from Perth Grammar School.

Communications giant O2 applied to the local authority to erect a 17.5-metre tall device within the grounds of the treatment works on the Fair City’s Gowans Terrace.

Ellen McKay, a member of the nearby school’s parent council, attended the council’s development control committee meeting this week and raised numerous objections.

Following the project’s approval, she said children may be exposed to “dangerous levels” of electromagnetic waves because the structure will be just 125 metres from the 1025-pupil institution.

She added: “The planning application was flawed in the first place due to the lack of consultation with the school and local residents – and despite evidence that suggests beams from the mast will land right within the school.

“I was also disappointed with the attitude of the planning officials, who clearly have no interest or concern for health issues.

“Although this battle has been lost, I am calling for the council to remember their responsibilities to those who elected them and put real pressure on the government to re-assess the guidelines,” she said.

O2 representative Paul McCulloch told elected members that a 10 degree modification – meaning Perth Grammar would no longer come directly under the radar of any signals passing to and from the structure – had been made following a development control meeting in April.

Describing the re-working as “a gesture of goodwill,” he added the move was not necessary as their blueprint adheres to the government-backed ICNIRP guidelines on mast positioning – something Mrs McKay described as “nine years out of date.”

Mr McCulloch added: “This shows O2 have been sensitive to the needs of the community and that the company have taken on board what was said previously.”

Also attacking the proposal, Councillor Archie MacLellan said he supported Mrs McKay’s concerns.

But he conceded fellow local authority members may have their hands tied by the legislation.

Councillor MacLellan said: “I don’t want to be seen to be attacking our planning officers because they make their decisions based on government information.

“But these guidelines are nine years old. As a council, I think we should be forcing the government to think again about this.

“Health boards down south have been unable to say if there is a link between mobile phone masts and clusters of health problems, such as cancer.

“But, at the same time, nobody can give advice that this is not the case either,” he said.

Agreeing with Mrs McKay, Councillor Ian Campbell said the consultation between O2 and the community hadn’t been up to scratch.

But the council’s development quality manager, Nick Brian, said an open letter from O2 to the community and Perth Grammar was sufficient – paving the way for the application to be given the green light.