Thursday, 10 January 2008

Glimmer of hope in phone mast battle




Vodafone have promised to look again at alternatives to erecting a mast on the Badminton Road in Coalpit Heath after a busy drop-in session in the Manor Hall yesterday.

Throughout the afternoon, local people arrived to voice their concerns to the company’s representatives. Some asked Vodafone to reconsider sites they had discounted while others suggested new options.

Towards the end of the session, a crowd of residents gathered to see Andy Somerset, whose house is next to the site of the proposed mast, present a petition with over 590 signatures to Vodafone’s Dr Rob Matthews. Dr Matthews said he could make no guarantees but that he would go away and ask the company’s engineers to investigate the alternatives suggested.

Vodafone can be in no doubt now about the strength of feeling locally. As of today, the Badminton Road application still stands and will go before the planning committee on 31st January, but this is the first glimmer of hope for residents.

Claire Young went to Thornbury today to deliver a copy of the petition and ten more letters of objection safely into the hands of the case officer.

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