11 May 2006 - Hampshire’s Green Party MEP Caroline Lucas has called on Test Valley Council to block plans to build a ten-metre mobile ‘phone mast in a residential area in Chandler’s Ford.

Dr Lucas said the proposed mast, which T-Mobile wants to build at Knightwood Road – within 300 metres of 100 homes - could pose dangers for residents’ health and should not be sited in such a highly-populated area.

“Research conducted on behalf of the European Parliament has demonstrated that safety guidelines governing the exposure of the public to radiation from mobile ‘phone base stations are inadequate,” said Dr Lucas.

“In the face of real health risks we should adopt the precautionary principle and stop allowing masts to be built at sites – such as Knightwood Road – which are close to built-up residential areas."

Current Government guidelines allowing masts to be built near homes are based on incomplete research, according to a report by Warwick University Professor Gerard Hyland and commissioned by Dr Lucas for the European Parliament.

By measuring the effects of radiation intensity only – and not the frequency of microwave pulses - the research on which the guidelines are based fails to account for unexplained levels of ill-health, including cancers, in those living in proximity to the masts.

“I hope Test Valley planners will protect local residents by rejecting this application,” added Dr Lucas.

“But the planning laws make it very difficult for local authorities to take risks to human health into account when deciding whether to give ‘phone operators permission to erect masts – and the Government must review the legislation and day-today guidance to require local councils to adopt the precautionary principle when considering the siting of mobile ‘phone masts.”

ENDS