29/4/2008

Local News in Aldershot

Residents angered by dishes

Residents outraged about plans to put up more mobile phone dishes near their homes have launched a petition to try  to persuade Rushmoor Borough Council to reject them.

Orange has applied to install two microwave dishes and replace another on the tower in the reservoir at Cargate Hill, Aldershot.

The petition was started at a special meeting of the Cargate Area Residents Association last Wednesday.

Alex Crawford, association secretary and a Labour candidate in Thursday’s local elec-tions, called on the council to throw out the plans and claimed it had failed to consult residents.

Planning chief Keith Holland said: “We have a very clear procedure on consultation, which was followed this time — and every time.

“We send letters to those residents in the immediate area, we publish an advert in the local newspaper and we put a notice up on site.

“We sometimes find that people are concerned that they were not directly consulted but we have to draw the line somewhere.”

Mr Holland said Mr Craw-ford and West End County Infant School were contacted, as well as 72 neighbouring households.

He added: “We do our best to make sure the important people are informed.

“Alex Crawford has access to planning applications online. He did know about it.

“We did consult the Cargate Residents Association directly, the chairman being Alex Craw-ford, and we also consulted all those who had written in on previous occasions.

“We cannot comment on this particular application because we are still consider-ing it.

“But we will take a good look at this and take notice of any comments people may have.”

At Wednesday’s meeting Cargate Hill resident Grahame Bell gave a presentation detailing what he believed was wrong with the application.

Mr Bell said: “Keith Holland told us we were not giving the correct facts. I can assure you…it is accurate.

“The consultation has been very haphazard, that is the pattern right the way through this.

“The consultation process is nil. They have the numbers of people who should have been consulted but they also have a list to say they had not been consulted.

“At no stage has the council consulted or asked the com-panies to consult West End School.

“They say that it is not their duty to advise companies. Government policy states the schools have to be consulted before an application is made.

“They have never had a pro-per consultation with resi-dents, they have never had a proper consultation with the school, both of which they have to do before they accept an application.”

Wellington Conservative Cllr Eric Neal said: “I sympathise fully with the Cargate Resi-dents’ Association over these masts. I believe they should be in a more appropriate place and I’m sure we can find a place but it appears planning legislation is very much in favour of, or leans towards, these companies.

“I believe the best way forward is to talk to these com-panies. They have community relations officers. In Church Lane East we were able to come to a compromise with O2. It is entirely up to the Car-gate Residents Association if they wish to go down the legal road or if they want to talk to the companies. It is completely up to them.”

First printed in: Aldershot News and Mail