The north-east approach to the village of Dunton, Beds., UK. is a reasonably unspoiled rural landscape. In Summer 2000 it faced the threat of a mobile phone transmitter mast at the Anglian Water (AWG) pumping station just outside the village. A number of homes are close to this site and the residents naturally became concerned for their health and that of their children.
This site documents the campaign which defeated the initial application. It also aims to be a source of information and news about masts generally and to monitor local developments, particularly any renewed threat to Dunton. If you are faced with a mast application in your locality you may find our experience helpful but for up-to-date advice see this national campaign site.
This campaign believes that there may be a risk to health associated with the use of a mobile phone. The evidence for this seems to be increasing. There may also be a risk from proximity to a mast, particularly through constant exposure although the cause may be different (thermal versus non-thermal effects), anecdotal evidence for this is increasingly being supported by scientific studies. People choose whether to own and use a mobile phone and have control over their exposure but this is not true for those living close to a mast. We believe that the balance in society should be that people are not exposed to risk except by their own choice.
Campaign Status
There is no immediate threat to Dunton. Nothing has been heard since June 2001 when we were informed that Anglian Water were considering a second application. Our MP wrote to them and received no reply. We think perhaps it was a try-on to test whether the opposition had gone away.
