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Scrap plans for stadium masts
• BECAUSE of the objections of residents, last year Islington Council refused planning permission for Arsenal to erect at the Emirates Stadium 32 masts that emit higher radiation levels to cater for the new generation of mobile phones.
Planning permission has now been granted on appeal, with neither objectors nor councillors being given the opportunity to make representations at the appeal. This seems to undermine the whole planning permission process.
It is an alarming decision in the light of recent studies of the health hazards of mobile phone masts, which strongly suggest the current permitted radiation limit in the UK is far too high, and should be drastically reduced, as has been done in other European cities like Salzburg.
The Sunday Times (April 22) reported that seven clusters of cancer and other serious illnesses have been discovered around mobile phone masts. Studies of the sites show high incidences of cancer, brain haemorrhages and high blood pressure within a radius of 400 yards of mobile phone masts.
One of the studies, in Warwickshire, showed a cluster of 31 cancers around a single street. A quarter of the 30 staff at a special school within sight of the 90ft-high mast have developed tumours since 2000, while another quarter have suffered significant health problems.
The mast is being pulled down by the mobile phone operator after presentation of the evidence by protesters.
Arsenal is planning to erect not one, but 32, mobile phone masts at the Emirates Stadium, which overlooks Drayton Park School.
When it applied for planning permission to erect the stadium, Arsenal claimed it was a football club that supported the community. I trust the company will not wait until abnormal clusters of serious illnesses are reported in the vicinity of the stadium before it removes these masts.
I urge readers to ask Arsenal not to proceed with these plans and to ask the council to seek a judicial review of the appeal on the grounds that residents and councillors were given no opportunity to make representations at the appeal, and that new scientific evidence has come to light since the decision.
JOHN HANDS
Battledean Road, N5 |
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