Phone mast will be sited near hospital

PERMISSION has been given for a phone mast to be erected next to a hospital despite it being near another pole belonging to a different company.

Vodafone has been given permission to build the 37ft structure containing three antennae, plus an equipment cabinet on the pavement, in Hilton Road, Hartshill.

It will be sited between two trees and will have a wood effect finish to make it look like a telegraph pole.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council's development control committee heard there is a T-Mobile pole about 50ft away, but sharing was ruled out because it would have meant extending the existing one and making it obtrusive.

Councillor Ian Mitchell said: "3G masts emit high frequency microwaves. This one is just in front of the hospital and new wards are being built there.

"The mast will be very close to these. I know companies need these masts to get the coverage across the country.

"Everyone uses 3G. I use it on my laptop and at the minute the connection is worse than the old dial-up.

"I do not want this application turned down, but I would have loved to have seen what the hospital thought of this.

"A recent Dutch research project found transmissions do cause problems with headaches. Another piece of research is being compiled to discredit this. These are just arguments but it does concern me that the hospital is so close to this mast."

The nearest houses are across the road, 80ft away from the site, and the Hilton House residential care home is about 650ft along the street.

There was one objection from a resident who was opposed to another mast being sited in the neighbourhood.

A previous application for an antennae elsewhere near the hospital was refused by the council in 2001 because of concerns expressed about risks to patients and possible interference with medical equipment. The applicant appealed against the decision and won, so the mast was built.

Since then the hospital's management have not submitted any comments about subsequent phone mast applications.

Councillor Ross Irving said: "I think our hands are tied. The hospital has given up the ghost. I think we have to accept the health grounds, or interference with equipment points, have been tried and tested so we have no choice."

Committee member Councillor Paul Billington said: "People used to think asbestos was safe, but now they know better."

Councillor Denver Tolley added: "It is public demand. If there was no demand the companies wouldn't want to build these things.

"So I do not know how we can turn it down. You'll see the demand this Christmas. The shoppers will be queuing up for the latest upgrades on phones and laptops."