Put up a garden shed and consider a phone mast

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."

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Mark Harris is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.garden-n-storage-sheds.com. Build yourself a gazebo, tool shed, potting shed, greenhouse, bridge, or outdoor garden & storage shed using free building plans found online.