update: Vodafone mast at Bayside Square was removed at 9am this morning after it lost its battle following discovery it had *NO* planning permission
Earlier this year Meteor’s attempts to site a mobile phone antenna at Bayside Square were stopped by prompt and vocal opposition from local residents. The application had attempted to claim exemption from planning permission, but this was refused by the Council following residents’ objections. The Council refused the exemption on the grounds that a childcare facility was operating from the same address.
During the campaign spearheaded by Socialist Party public representative in the area Brian Greene, it emerged that for a number of months a second Vodafone mast had been operating above the building at Bayside Square without the knowledge of most residents.
For almost four months we have had to push and encourage the Council to take action on this matter. Initially they indicated that this second mast did not have permission. Later they said that it had an exemption from years back and was not operating without permission! Now Fingal County Council’s Planning Department has finally informed us that Vodafone will be instructed to take the mast down.
The Socialist Party welcomes this decision as a vindication of the stance taken by the local community and as a tribute to all who played a part in keeping up the pressure. However there are many important lessons for the future which should not be forgotten.
This mast and many like it show that the community does not get sufficient input into the sensible siting of phone masts and that many breaches and irregularities are taking place without adequate control or action. That a mast can operate for almost 12 months with Site IDs and be advertised on the ComReg website while in breach of planning law shows the total lack of any proper enforcement and monitoring.
Phone users need signal, but it is very important that communities are protected by adherence to the precautionary approach of planning phone masts. The Bayside antenna had a Microlink Dish connected to a residential dwelling above the shops, disguised as a chimney flue to hide over 2000 micro watts per metre squared of elecromagnetic radiation. This is a disgrace and cannot be allowed to happen again.
Only community vigilance and public pressure insured that the mast at Bayside will now be removed. Our communities deserve regulations and enforcement that puts the health of residents above the convenience of the phone companies.
Information issued by Socialist Party local representative Brian Greene-
web http://www.HowthMalahide.com
email brian@socialistparty.net
