John Leech MP accuses Labour of siding with mobile phone giants against local communities

11.43.54am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 22nd Jul 2008

John Leech, Liberal Democrat MP for Manchester Withington, has launched a stinging attack on Labour MPs for siding with phone company giants rather than residents in a row over the power of communities to stop inappropriately sited phone masts.

Currently, fewer restrictions govern planning applications for phone masts up to 15 metres in height, often making it difficult for councils to refuse permission for controversial proposals. This also discourages the practise of mast sharing, leading to the installation of more masts altogether.

Liberal Democrats in Parliament recently moved an amendment to the Planning Bill which would have meant applications for phone masts would have required full planning permission and therefore be considered in the same way as applications for new buildings or change of use of existing ones.

But Labour MPs, including all three Manchester Labour MPs who voted, voted against the call and Conservative MPs did not bother voting at all.

"Manchester's Labour MPs had the opportunity to side with local communities or with giant phone companies," said John Leech MP "It is extremely disappointing so see that they have decided to back the latter.

"The change the Liberal Democrats proposed in the House of Commons would have given residents a fighting chance to stop inappropriately sited phone masts. It would have meant the phone companies would have had to apply for full planning permission in the same way that any other business would need to.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

The Liberal Democrats proposed two new clauses into the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 relating to planning permission for telecommunications masts.

The first clause said:

Telecommunications masts: precautionary principle statement

Every application for planning permission for telecommunications masts and associated apparatus shall be accompanied by a precautionary principle statement which will be available for inspection

If the statement indicates that there is a threat of damage to health or the environment, it shall not be a ground for granting planning permission that there is a lack of full scientific certainty about the extent of the threat of damage to health or the environment.

The second clause which would have been inserted said:

Telecommunications masts: beam of greatest intensity certificate

Every application for planning permission for telecommunications masts and associated apparatus shall be accompanied by a certificate, which is available for inspection, setting out the area and maximum range of the beam of greatest intensity,

the minimum and maximum distances at ground level of the beam of greatest intensity, an explanation of the way in which the intensity of radiation falls off with distance from an antennae and of the level of the intensity of radiofrequency radiation, an indication of where the beam of greatest intensity falls and the nearest and farthest distance from the antenna to these points.

The practise of mast sharing between different providers has been discouraged by the fact that only masts over 15m need planning permission

Where a beam of greatest intensity falls on any part of any premises or land occupied by or consisting of an educational or medical facility, or of residential property, planning permission shall not be granted before first taking into account the information contained within the certificate, and any representations received in respect of that information.