Don't put mast here

The mast would be sited in the grounds of the Old Haileyburian Rugby and Football Club near to an existing mast which was erected by BT Cellnet now O2 in December 1998.

Residents say another unsightly mast will further lower the value of their houses and could pose increased health threats to their children.

They have already deluged Orange with letters and a petition and last week they met Epsom MP Chris Grayling and local councillors to air their views and to plan their next course of action.

Now the phone company is suggesting an extension to an existing BT phone mast, or a less obtrusive design.

But people living near the site are adamant they do not want the new mast and that the existing mast should go.

Ainsley de Robbillard, who lives in Ruxley Lane, said: "I have a granddaughter who is six and she wants to go out and play on the swing in the garden.

"We are quite concerned from a health point of view. We don't want to expose her to it and she spends quite a lot of time at our house while her parents are at work.

"As I come out of my house my skyline already shows an enormous great mast with antennas coming out of it and that is a visual intrusion into my space."

He added: "Another mast would really devalue my house and put a blight on it because nobody with any sense would consider buying a house where there is this potential health risk."

Les Hanshaw, of Pams Way, said: "I think they are unsightly things. There are plenty of other places where they could put them."

Mr Grayling is pushing for the BT Cellnet mast to be removed, and is appalled another mast is now being planned.

He said: "The existing mast is the most badly-sited mast I have every seen.

"We are trying to persuade O2 to move it. It would be a huge tragedy for the residents if the new mast was erected."

Ewell Court ward councillor Jean Smith campaigned against the BT mast when it was first installed.

She and fellow ward councillors are now taking steps to discourage the new mast.

She said: "We are concerned about the residents' views and have asked them to write to us so we can write a councillors' response.

"The phone companies quite rightly are consulting but that does not mean that they will take any notice of what people are saying."

However, a spokesman for Orange denied the consultation was nothing more than a PR stunt.

She said: "This site has been identified because of technical requirements for coverage for the area.

"There is an existing communications structure there and under government planning guidance we are advised to share sites where appropriate.

"We are taking on board the concerns of residents and are more than happy to meet them but we have to balance that with the needs of our customers."

"We will see if we can come to a compromise," she added

Meanwhile in Banstead, two applications for masts were refused permission by Reigate and Banstead Council's planning committee last Wednesday night.

May 29, 2003 11:30