Chichester and East Hampshire

On 20th November 2003, Chichester District Council refused 2 further TETRA masts at Foxhill Petworth and Forge Farm Rogate. The only reason 2 Councillors voted against the motion – adverse effect on an area of natural beauty – was because they felt so strongly that health concerns should have been included in the reason for the refusal. Great concern was expressed again about the untried nature of the technology and how Airwave had had no consultation with schools etc, as required by PPG8.

On the same day in Petersfield, East Hampshire District Council voted by 29 – 2 NOT to allow Airwave to bypass the planning system in order that they might get their ‘certificate of completion’ for Hampshire in time. This apparently was needed by December 13th. They informed the council that if they were to miss this time frame, which they now will, Hampshire would not get another ‘slot’ for the system to become operational until 2005. They had last week erected 6 unlawful masts in the New Forest in an attempt to achieve this aim.

This reprieve will allow more time for the vital research that is so desperately needed. One alarming fact came to light during this meeting, namely that Airwave might slip their antennae onto Orange masts.

The District Councillors all expressed concern about the unknown nature of TETRA technology. They felt there was potential, without the proper research being conducted into it’s safety, of Tetra being found to be harmful. Until such research had been done, it was suggested, we should adopt the precautionary approach. Mention was also made about the companies’ unlawful masts in East Hants region and, again, their lack of consultation with local communities.