Subject: MAJOR MAST VICTORY in Scotland (Banks)..
Date: Wed, 29 Mar 2000 042212 -0600 (CST)
From: "Roy L. Beavers"
To: emfguru
--------------------------------------------------
Hi everybody:
.......This message forwards news of a major advance for the cause
of both recognizing and regulating the EMF health risks from cell
phone antennas...... It announces the decision of the Scottish
Parliament Transport and Environmental Committee favoring the
regulation of "cell phone mast (tower) siting" by the Government of
Scotland.....
One cannot avoid the conclusion ... from the statement of principles
spelled out below ... that these same principles will have relevance and
will likely be applied to other RF and MW risk situations in due time.....
i.e., Radar exposure situations, etc.....
(Quoted from the news release below: The Committee's recommendation will
mean that all phone masts, however small, will be subject to proper local
democratic scrutiny......)
This development is a highly significant advance against the menace of
the Blue World...... But it is a "first step"..... It is not the
totality of what must eventually be done......
Cheerio...... And a "bloody well done" to the Transport and
Environmental Committee of the Parliament of Scotland.....
Roy Beavers (EMFguru)
roy@emfguru.com
.....It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness.....
NEW!!! Website... http://emfguru.com
...................People are more important than profits.................
Missed opportunity...
$$$$$ We could have changed the corrupted system!! $$$$$
McCain !!
DO YOU KNOW OF OTHERS WHO SHOULD BE ON THIS LIST???
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 29 Mar 2000 02:42:11 -0600 (CST)
From: "Lang Banks, FoE Scotland"
To: press@foe-scotland.org.uk
Cc: roy@emfguru.com
Subject: MAST VICTORY
FYI
Scotland leads the way...
best wishes
Lang
PRESS RELEASE
********* STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL: 10:00hrs Wednesday 29th March 2000
*********
Page 1 of 2
Mobile Phone Masts:
VICTORY FOR COMMUNITIES IN PHONE MAST INQUIRY
Friends of the Earth Scotland today congratulated the Scottish Parliament's
Transport and the Environment Committee on listening to the concerns of
communities and individuals around Scotland in its inquiry into
Telecommunications Developments. The Committee's Report concludes that all
Telecoms Masts, including mobile phone masts, should be required to apply
for planning permissions, and that local authorities should adopt a
precautionary approach, keeping masts away from schools, hospitals and
residential areas where possible.
The Committee's recommendations are a complete vindication of FoE's
position. For two years FoE Scotland has led the campaign to raise
awareness of the possible health implications of long-term public exposure
to the low levels of microwave radiation emitted by these masts. These
concerns have led to almost half of Scotland's local authorities deciding
to introduce precautionary policies to prevent masts from being sited on
schools and other buildings until further research can be carried out.
As well as hearing evidence from FoE, community groups and industry the
Committee also heard evidence from Greater Glasgow Health Board and the
Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health both of which also
recommended a precautionary approach.
Dr Richard Dixon, Head of Research for FoE, said:
"We're delighted - the Committee have clearly listened to the concerns of
the public and health professionals, and made recommendations which will
help communities all around Scotland who are threatened by phone mast
plans. We particularly welcome the Committee's recommendations for a
precautionary approach by local authorities, which will keep these masts
away from vulnerable individuals in schools, hospitals and residential
areas. These recommendations put Scotland ahead of the rest of the UK on
phone masts, and clearly show the value of extra time MSPs can spend on
issues which concern Scots.
"Under the present system I would need planning permission to put up a
garden shed but could put up a 40ft mobile phone mast in my back garden
without asking anyone at all. The Committee's recommendations will mean
that all phone masts, however small, will be subject to proper local
democratic scrutiny. This is a victory for common sense and the
environment - we could not really have asked for more."
NOTES TO EDITORS:
[1] The Committees report was released this morning. Scottish Parliament
press contact is Eric MacLeod 0131 348 5605.
The report can be viewed at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/official_report/cttee/trans-00/trr00-03-01.htm
A summary is attached below.
[2] It is not clear exactly how many mobile phone masts there are in
Scotland as the information is commercially confidential, although one
estimate suggests there are over 1000 masts in Scotland. Under the current
planning system mobile phone transmitter masts under 15m in height are
classed as 'permitted development' and do not require planning permission.
This means the public have no opportunity to object to inappropriately
sited masts.
[3] There have been a number of potentially serious adverse health effects
reported including possible links with brain cancer (Thomas et al (1987),
Speers et al (1988), Tornqvist et al (1991) and Grayson (1996); skin cancer
(Vagero et al (1985)); eye cancer (Holly et al (1995); leukaemia (MIlham
(1988), Goldsmith (1995), Dolk et al (1997) and Hocking et al (1995)); and
breast cancer (Goldsmith (1995)).
There have also, similarly, been a number of published scientific studies
indicating possible links with atrophy of the testes, lower birth weight,
still birth, resorption, haemorrhage and stunted growth, altered brain
activity, and decreased reaction times and learning retention.
[4] Almost half of Scotland's Local Authorities have already or are
actively considering adopting a precautionary policy preventing mobile
phone transmitter masts from being sited on schools. A growing number of
Councils were also taking steps to prevent further mobile phone transmitter
masts being sited on their property (including schools, residential blocks
and council offices) in response to growing scientific, political and
public concern over their possible adverse health effects - most notably
possible links with cancer and child leukaemia.
Scottish Local Authorities who have already adopted some form of a
precautionary policy - Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus,
Clackmannanshire, Dundee, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, Highland,
North Lanarkshire, Perth & Kinross, Scottish Borders, South Lanarkshire,
West Dunbartonshire Councils and West Lothian Councils.
[5] A FoE briefing 'Blot on the Horizon or Health Threat' is available by
fax or on our website at http:/www.foe-scotland.org.uk/
For more information: Lang Banks on 0131 554 9977 or pager 07654 200937
********
SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Section One: The Current Planning Framework For Telecommunications
Developments: Permitted Development Rights
Telecommunications developers / operators currently enjoy
permitted development rights,
although have notification obligations within their licences.
The majority of planning
authorities who responded to the inquiry sought an enhanced
level of planning control over
telecommunications development. In particular, they expressed
concerns about the speed,
quality and effectiveness of the current process, stating that
it lacks local democracy and
accountability. In presenting oral evidence the Convention of
Scottish Local Authorities
(CoSLA) stated that it is common ground among the Scottish
Executive and others and it is
accepted by the operators, that the present system is
inadequate and must be changed. The
Committee concurs with this view. (paragraphs 13 - 23)
Section Two: Current Scottish Executive Proposals
The Scottish Executive proposes the introduction of a prior
approval procedure to give
planning authorities greater control over the siting of
telecommunications masts and
associated equipment. The Scottish Executive believes the
resulting system, incorporating
licence conditions, permitted development rights and planning
guidance, will provide an
adequate level of planning control and will also be consistent
with the UK Government's
policy on the telecommunications industry. However, the
Committee has considered the
evidence and concludes that there are significant concerns
with the prior approval process.
(paragraphs 24 - 37).
Section Three: Full Planning Control
The Committee notes that the Department of Trade and Industry
(DTI) and the
telecommunications developers / operators suggest that the
introduction of full planning
control would not be a preferred option. However the views
expressed by the DTI and
telecommunications developers / operators contrast with the
position of CoSLA, planning
authorities, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Royal
Town Planning Institute in
Scotland (RTPI) who support the introduction of full planning
control and suggest that this
has a number of advantages over the system of prior approval.
The Committee recognises
the social and economic benefits arising from a modern
telecommunications system.
However having carefully considered the evidence the Committee
is not convinced that the
introduction of full planning control will significantly slow
down the roll-out of the
telecommunications network and concludes that the benefits of
the introduction of full
planning control outweigh the potential disadvantages. The
Committee supports the
introduction of full planning control for telecommunications
development. (paragraphs 38 -
52).
Section Four: Policy Issues In The Planning Framework
At the start of the inquiry the Committee sought views on
factors which may require to be
taken into account in informing policy. The key factors relate
to amenity, health and a
precautionary approach.
Amenity: The Committee is of the view that there are a number
of actions that could be
taken to minimise the environmental impact of
telecommunications developments such as:
early discussion with telecommunications developers /
operators and planning authorities
on strategic network requirements; site sharing; mast sharing;
design and disguise and; the
introduction of a requirement on telecommunications developers
/ operators to conclude
national roaming agreements. The Committee also considered
that some areas may be more
environmentally sensitive than others e.g. areas subject to
existing designations and areas
that local authorities and other bodies identify as sensitive.
This would not necessarily
preclude the siting of telecommunications infrastructure in
these areas. The Committee
recommends that guidance on the treatment of environmentally
sensitive areas to minimise
the impact of telecommunications development should be
developed by the Scottish
Executive, allowing for local flexibility. The Committee is of
the view that beyond this, it is
for individual planning authorities to determine the
designation of environmentally sensitive
areas based on the characteristics of their localities.
(paragraphs 53 - 76).
Health: The Committee recognises that there is currently no
conclusive scientific evidence
on non thermal effects and the risk to public, but the level
of public concern is reflected in
the responses to the inquiry. The Committee recognises the
complex issues of public
health, including the perceived effects and recognises the
difficulties in securing evidence.
Based on the evidence received the Committee considers that
there is reasonable doubt
about the health risks and recommends that health should be
viewed as a material planning
consideration and a precautionary approach should be adopted
at a national level allowing
for local flexibility. The Committee considers that areas such
as schools, nurseries,
hospitals, and residential areas may be considered sensitive
for environmental health
reasons. The Committee recommends that in taking a
precautionary approach local
authorities should consider a hierarchy of preferred locations
for telecommunications
equipment that, where possible, avoid more densely populated
areas such as residential
areas and weight towards more sparsely populated areas e.g.
industrial areas. However,
the Committee does not currently believe that there is
sufficient scientific evidence on which
to base a recommendation on the implementation of mechanisms
such as cordon sanitaire.
(paragraphs 77 - 93).
Section Five: Policy Framework and Guidance
Evidence received in the course of the inquiry, in particular
from local authorities, proposed
a need for clear and firm government guidance on a range of
matters within a national
policy framework. The Committee recommends that a national
plan, incorporating
telecommunications development, and co-ordinating the plans of
other agencies, is
developed by the Scottish Executive. In the interim the
Committee recommends the speedy
preparation of National Planning Guidance on
telecommunications development, supported
by a Planning Advice Note setting out best practice. Within
this framework local authorities
should be encouraged to develop their policies on
telecommunications developments
speedily and if necessary via amendments to existing plans.
The Committee recommends
that the process of developing the policy framework and
guidance should allow full
consultation with the interested bodies, including
telecommunications developers /
operators, to ensure that all relevant issues are taken into
account.
A number of requirements for guidance were identified in the
course of the inquiry.
Specifically, the Committee recommends that guidance should be
based on a precautionary
approach and cover the following matters: health and safety;
planning and development
control; obligations on and information required from
operators; the role and
responsibilities of different parts of the Scottish Executive;
the role and responsibilities of
other bodies; monitoring and reporting and; good practice
guidance for local planning
authorities and telecommunications developers / operators.
(paragraphs 94 - 103).
*-----------------------------------------------------------------------*
| FROM THE COMPUTER OF: Lang Banks - Press Officer |
| Friends of the Earth Scotland, 72 Newhaven Rd, Edinburgh, EH6 5QG, UK |
| Tel: (44)+131-554-9977 Fax: (44)+131-554-8656 |
| lbanks@foe-scotland.org.uk pager: 07654 200937 |
| Web: http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/ |
*-----------------------------------------------------------------------*
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Third Party Right of Appeal Seminar
University of Strathclyde, Glasgow - May 11th 2000
* Should local communities have the same rights as developers to
appeal planning decisions?
* Would this lead to a logjam in the planning process?
* Does Third Party Right of Appeal work elsewhere?
Just as the planning process is undergoing further review Friends of the
Earth Scotland is holding a 1 day seminar on Third Party Right of Appeal at
the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow on May 11th 2000 in conjunction with
the Dept. of Environmental Planning University of Strathclyde.
The day will run from 10.30-3.30 and lunch will be supplied.
International speakers will outline current planning provisions from
Denmark and Ireland.
Professional planners from local authorities, for and against, will be
joined in debate with lawyers, academics, developers and NGOs.
For details please call Jess on 0131 554 9977 or e-mail <
jmcpherson@foe-scotland.org.uk>
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Archive provided courtesy of WaveGuide, http://www.wave-guide.org
Reprinted with permission of Roy Beavers, http://www.emfguru.com