A MAN living in the shadow of three phone masts fears radiation could be harming his young family and the health of others living in Ashover.
James McKay of Holestone Gate Road lives within a mile of masts operated by Orange, Vodafone and O2 – and now T-Mobile has applied to site its own 17.5-metre monopole close by.

Concerned parish councillors have consulted a specialist registrar in public health who said although there is no proof masts are harmful, there are gaps in what is known and understood about their radiation and precautions need to be taken.

Mr McKay said: "I can't help but feel it will have a detrimental effect on the people living in the area.

"We are already inundated with radiation which can be detrimental to within three miles of the site and we are only one mile from it. Now they want to put in another.They are going to fry us.

"Why should we bear the brunt of it for everybody else in the area 24 hours a day?"

Ashover Parish Council sought reassurance from Dr Eleanor Rutter, specialist registrar in public health for North East Derbyshire PCT.

Dr Rutter said the Steward Report into radiation, carried out in 2000, states that there is no general risk to health of people living near to base stations on the basis that exposures are expected to be small fractions of guideline amounts.

But she added that there is now scientific evidence which suggests there may be biological effects occurring at exposures below these guidelines.

Inconsiderate placement of masts may also cause anxiety which leads to ill-health through stress, she added.

A spokesperson for T-Mobile said: "The scientific consensus around the world and expressed by the World Health Organisation is that these low powered installations pose no risk to health."

Other local residents oppose the mast on further grounds.
Paul Watton, who owns Bradley Hollow Wood adjacent to the proposed mast site, is concerned about the appearance of the pole and says T-Mobile is wrong to claim his trees would obscure their mast.

He said: "Any felling of the trees will expose these masts to view on the skyline."

He added that he had suggested T-Mobile site the mast within his woodland where it would be less visible, and he could co-operate with them in managing the growth of trees around it – but the mobile operator has refused to enter into dialogue on the idea.

Ashover Parish Council has also asked for the height of the mast to be reduced or for them to put their equipment on an existing pole.

A spokesperson for T-Mobile said: "We always consider sharing masts but that requires them to be taller and wider which is often unacceptable.

"Masts have to be elevated but we will always look into local suggestions."

North East Derbyshire District Council has not yet set a date to discuss the application.

Story by Richard Woolley

To comment email richard.woolley@matlockmercury.co.uk
30 August 2006