Kew Phone Mast Stopped

12.08.42pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 21st May 2003

Councillor Serge Lourie, Leader of the Opposition on Richmond upon Thames Council

Kew Councillors Serge Lourie and Tony Barnett have welcomed the decision of O2 not to install a phone mast opposite 97-101 North Road Kew while they work with officers of the council to find a suitable site.

Representatives of the telephone company and Council Officers have agreed to look for a suitable alternative sitings and equipment designs. The Council has made it clear that a 12.5 metre mast in this location is not acceptable, a point reinforced by the dismissal of the appeal for similar works outside 105 North Road.

Said Cllr Lourie "Officers of the Council have worked hard to prevent this phone mast. I should like to thank them very much on behalf of local residents. "

"Many people use mobile phones, but masts in populated areas are just not acceptable. I am delighted that the protests from local people have been heard by O2 and that they will look for a more suitable location for their mast, away from the centre of Kew."

Note for editors

Council Officers met this morning (20.05.03) with representatives of O2 and their consultants APT Marconi to discuss ways to resolve the North Road mast issue. The meeting was conducted in a positive and amicable atmosphere and arguments about whether they have a right to complete the installation on the current site were set on one side in order to focus on finding an acceptable alternative.

Without committing themselves on the legal issue, O2 confirmed that at the present time they do not intend to proceed with the work that was commenced opposite 97-101 North Road. They will 'close-up' the site to make it safe. The cabinet will be left in situ for the time being. O2 will advise of a date for closing-up when known.

One purpose of the meeting was to allow both sides to explore the planning and technical parameters within which acceptable alternative proposals may lie. Council Officers made it clear that a 12.5m freestanding mast would not be acceptable in this stretch of North Rd, a point reinforced by the dismissal of the appeal for similar works outside 105 North Rd. O2 understand this and will investigate alternative sitings and equipment designs in the relevant area.

Alternatives will be forwarded to the Council for informal comment. In this way it is hoped that an obviously unacceptable proposal will not proceed to a formal consultation and that future formal submissions will be less controversial in planning terms.