Dunton No-masts Campaign
Defending our health and environment.
Planning Control Committee Meeting 26 September 2000

This was a big day for the campaign, if the mast had been approved we would not have given up but life would have become more difficult. Because they use a loophole in the planning process, these masts are automatically "approved developments" the council members can only reject them because of their location (or so we thought at the time). The views of the community are not supposed to be a factor. The councils planning officer had recommended approval (given the restrictive guidelines set by central government he probably had to, but we felt he could have shown less enthusiasm about it). We had arranged with the local press to mount a small demo prior to the meeting and were cheered up when Anglia TV news told us on the day that they would be there. The demo, mainly children, was good humoured:

The placards read "Anglian Water - awash with greed" and "One-2-One poisoning you-and-me"

We had prepared for the meeting as well as possible and produced 3 pages of notes for the committee members, covering the safety aspect in particular. We felt we had to get that point across, even though we been told they could not reject the application on health grounds.

Our own Councillor Mr BE Collier had only come back from holiday that day which made his performance all the more creditable. Following an address by one of the campaign, he opened by moving for rejection and set out the grounds on which the siting of the mast was unacceptable. His namesake Councillor B Collier followed up, pointing out that the mast on the plan was actually taller than 15M. According to the planning officer, the actual antenna apparatus doesn't count! In any event One2one had altered the plans reducing the height. We also liked Councillor Alistair Gammell who said

What is important is the local community's perception of the risk, not the risk.
There's a possibility that they're right because no-one can categorically state that they're wrong.
The community has said 'no' so the location is wrong

By this time it was clear which way the wind was blowing. A number of other councillors spoke, only one for the mast, Councillor Alastair Costley who remarked:

Whatever we do I don't think we're going to substantially influence the outcome.
I feel we're making a lot of noise about something we have no control over

He's entitled to his opinion of course, but it does seem strange that he seems to think he should rubber-stamp whatever comes before him.

The meeting voted decisively against the application. All the next day we were lead item on Anglia TV news. We also got excellent coverage again from local paper the Biggleswade Chronicle. Their editorial was about us:

Biggleswade Chronicle Editorial 29 September 2000
"Better safe than sorry"
Britain has gone mobile phone crazy in the past five years
But every industry has its downside
In the case of mobile phones it is the masts that plague our countryside
The protest lead by parents and children this week in Dunton was impressive
They told planners in no uncertain terms that the villagers' health could be at risk if a telecommunications mast was approved in their village.
Thankfully, our elected representatives listened and refused it
The simple fact is, it is not proven these masts can damage people's health. However neither is it clear that they are safe
Too often in our history we have been swept along with new ideas and inventions regardless of any risk to public health and safety - only to be caught out years down the line
By then it is too late
If there is any doubt - and there certainly is in Dunton - then it is right and proper the mast should be banned.
It is up to the companies to prove beyond doubt these masts are safe.
It is NOT up to residents to prove that they aren't.
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