Residents Win 3G Mast Fight

Residents have scored another notable victory against a mobile phone giant.

People fighting plans to build a 3G phone mast across the road from their houses have seen their opposition upheld for a second time by independent Government inspectors.

And the residents of Chester Road, Sandiway, hope this time Orange take note and move its mast elsewhere.

Orange had twice lodged appeals with planning inspectors into Vale Royal Borough Council's decision to turn down its proposal to build the 25ft 'simulated tree' phone mast among trees just off the A556.

On Thursday planning inspector Peter Young rejected Orange's second appeal - and residents now hope it is the end of the matter.

In his report, Mr Young said: 'I have concluded this proposal does not conform to the relevant provision of the development plan.

'It would, in my view, make these dwellings a distinctly less pleasant place in which to live.'

Delighted resident Claire Britton, who helped co-ordinate the campaign against the mast, said: 'The last time the inspector refused the appeal, he referred to the design of the mast. This, I feel, seems a more cut and dried refusal, as he says it doesn't conform to the development plan.

'Part of me has a certain sympathy with Orange. It had to pay a huge amount of money for the new 3G licences, and now it is facing all these problems implementing the technology. I suppose that makes me a classic NIMBY, but equally I have no intention of getting 3G technology myself, so I don't want it across the road from my house.'

Claire added: 'We don't know about the health risks today - we may know in 10 years time, but I don't want to spend the next decade worrying about what the mast might be doing to my two children.'