'Our voices don't count over mast' say Kingsthorpe campaigners
Campaigners who fought to stop a fourth mobile phone mast being installed near their Northampton homes say their voices simply do not count after O2 won the battle.
The bid to put up the 12.5m monopole on land adjacent to Welford Road, Kingsthorpe, was originally turned down by Northampton Borough Council in June.
But O2 appealed and an independent planning inspectorate in Bristol overturned the decision.
Irene Rose, aged 76, of Larwood Close, off Welford Road, spearheaded the campaign and helped present a 65-signature petition to the borough council. She said: "I feel the general public don't count; our opinions on all sorts of things are just brushed aside.
"O2 had looked at privately-owned land and the landowners said 'no'. Well, Northampton Borough Council is a landowner, and we pay our council tax to be part of that."
Mrs Rose said nearby residents were opposed to the monopole because they were concerned about the health implications and the visual pollution of the area.
She said: "There is not enough proof to say that there is no danger to health. We have got the local playgroup nearby and the fields near it are used for sport.
In the report on his decision, planning inspector Ian Radcliffe wrote: "The appearance of the street scene in the vicinity of the appeal site is that of an active residential area with pedestrian islands, railings, bus stops and street lighting. The three existing telecom poles add to the street furniture.
"There is nothing to indicate that there would be an actual risk to health."
Email to a friend
Print this page- BREAKING NEWS: Tributes paid to Niamh Curry as brave five-year-old loses battle against cancer
- BREAKING NEWS: Pensioner dies after collision at Northampton shopping centre
- Man tied to tree and beaten on Northampton Racecourse
- BREAKING NEWS: Seven-year-old boy dies following house fire in Northamptonshire
- Northampton binmen at ‘breaking point’
- Northampton binmen at ‘breaking point’
- Staff strike at Northampton school over academy plans forces closure
- Saints’ stadium plans get support as long as traffic issues solved
- Eastern European pupils helping school standards across Northampton
- Vow to crack down on anti-social behaviour across Northampton’s eastern district
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Northampton
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
