 |
| Pembrokeshire County Council's ecision to refuse MMO2 Airwave permission to erect an 18-metre high TETRA mast near Uzmaston has been overruled. |
UZMASTON residents have lost their battle to prevent the erection of an 18-metre TETRA mast on the outskirts of the village.
The results of four-day appeal hearing by telecommunications company MMO2 Airwave, against Pembrokeshire County Council's decision to refuse planning permission for the mast, were made public today.
The company successfully appealed to the National Assembly to overrule the council’s initial decision to refuse planning permission for the mast, which is used by which is to be used by the emergency services for radio communications.
The council reached its original decision after village residents expressed mounting fears over the safety and health implications of the TETRA system.
Various scientists have claimed the high frequency used by the system interferes with normal human brain activity in people either operating the receivers or living or working near the transmitting base stations.
Opposition groups have also claimed that frequencies above 16hz (TETRA operates at 17.6hz) can interfere with the human immune system and may lead to an increased likelihood of some forms of cancer.
MMO2 Airwave appealed the decision maintaining that their system fully complied with all necessary policies and guidelines. According to the company, Pembrokeshire County Council should not have refused its initial application on health grounds when no concrete scientific evidence exists to back up residents' claims.
The National Assembly planning inspector agreed with the company and overruled the County Council's ruling.
"We are very, very disappointed,” said Councillor David Bryan, who represents Haverfordwest’s Priory Ward but lives in Uzmaston.
“A lot of hard work has been put into this by the residents of the village. We had to do it.
“It makes us very sad that this is going to happen. What is also very sad is the impact on other communities.
“This was a landmark case, it could happen everywhere now.
“I am not a County Councillor for Uzmaston but I would have been failing in my duty as a County Councillor if I hadn’t got stuck in.
“We were up against big businesses and big government. We’re just little people.
“We’ll have to learn to live with it and move on.”
Residents of Uzmaston raised £8,000 to pay for barristers to fight the company’s appeal, but the case is likely to cost the county’s tax-payers thousands more as the council has been ordered to pay MMO2 Airwave’s legal costs.
“I am disappointed with outcome of the TETRA enquiry,” said Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb.
“Airwave has got what it wants and the people of Pembrokeshire will have to foot the bill.
“It makes a mockery of local democracy.”
The Assembly decision will have further local as well as national repercussions and spells bad news for Penally residents who are currently fighting the construction of a TETRA mast near a building used catering for disabled children in the village
