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Mast to be built despite protests
[April 30, 2006]

Mast to be built despite protests


(Nottingham Evening Post Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)Mobile phone giant O2 has been given permission to put up a phone mast in Mapperley.

Hurtej Kaur Mapperley The company says it needs the site for a 12.5-metre base station to boost coverage for its 3G network.

But people living near the site in Woodborough Road are worried about possible health implications and objected to the planning application.

Student Tom Riley, 20, who lives opposite the site, said: "Basically I think there's enough masts around as it is.

"When you look around the city centre, there's so many on top of buildings and things.

"Is it really necessary? It's right near a school as well and there's lots of kids who live around this area. It's not an ideal place for it even if it does help with reception coverage.

"It's unnecessary but I think it was always going to be a foregone conclusion." Fellow student Laura Mitchell, 21, said: "I think it's awful. We had a postcard telling us a bit about it.

"It's just a really bad idea - why would you want to stick it in the middle of a residential area?" Ann Kinsella, a resident of St Ann's Hill for 30 years, said: "I would rather it wasn't down the bottom of our road.

"I would also be worried about the possible health effects; we definitely don't want it there." The city council approved the mast plan.

A spokesman from the planning department said: "We did take into account the siting of the mast and health concerns." He added the appearance and siting were acceptable.

No one was available for comment from O2.

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