Blow to families in phone mast fight
May 29 2007 By Emma Cullwick, Birmingham Mail
FAMILIES who successfully fought for a controversial phone mast to be removed from next to two Midland schools have been dealt a further blow.
They are reeling from the news that mobile giant O2 has submitted applications for two new ones nearby.
Campaigners spent years battling 02 for the removal of the mast from near St Edward's RC Primary and Woodlands Special schools in Packington Lane, Coleshill.
Physicist Dr John Walkerckd and campaigners even claimed the 27m mast had sparked 31cases of cancer in one street alone, Castle Drive, which is near the schools.
Eight staff from Woodlands also claimed to have symptoms of illness, while more than half the children surveyed at St Edward's suffered headaches and more than a quarter reported regular nosebleeds and nausea.
Among the staff at both schools almost all those asked in a detailed survey collected by Sutton Coldfield Residents Against Masts felt fatigued and had sleep problems, with nearly half suffering dizzy spells and humming in their ears.
The Birmingham Mail reported earlier this month how O2 has agreed to demolish the mast but the firm did not accept it had created any health implications.
But now O2 has made a fresh application to North Warwickshire Borough Council to site two new masts in the area.
The first, 25m high, would again be in Packington Lane.
The second, which would be 22.5m tall, would be on land off Stonebridge Road and just 400m from Coleshill CE Primary School, in Wingfield Road, Coleshill, and 150m from homes.
Angry resident John Barber, of Wingfield Road, said: "The masts will once again be close to a densely populated residential area and schools.
"These are the most idiotic planning applications I've ever heard of."
A spokesman for O2 said: "We do not accept there are any health implications from the mast but we have agreed to remove it as part of our commitment to consult with local people over locations.
"We try to listen to what residents say."
A North Warwickshire Borough Council spokesman said: "02 has confirmed that in both applications the schools would be outside of the 'beams of great intensity' from the proposed masts."
