A community suffers from a breakdown in communication (From Warrington Guardian)

A community suffers from a breakdown in communication

CAMPAIGNING residents say that they are horrified to discover that controversial plans to erect a mobile phone mast on a church tower in Orford have been passed without their knowledge.

For the past year, homeowners in Orford Green have been fighting proposals to erect a T-Mobile mast on the flagpole of St Margaret and All Hallows Church.

Their concerns centred on safety issues about the potential danger of phone masts.

Letters of objection and a petition were submitted to the borough council but, this week, residents learned that the application had been passed in July.

Residents had been waiting for the proposal to be brought to the development control committee so they could reiterate their objections.

But the application was approved under delegated powers, which means it was never discussed at committee, and residents say that they have been kept in the dark about the decision.

A meeting was held on Monday night at the church to allay fears over the mast, but it was only open to members of the congregation.

Margaret Cunningham, who lives in Orford Green and organised the petition, said: "I am absolutely disgusted. It feels like all our hard work has been for nothing.

"The church is supposed to be a sacred place yet it has sold the community down the river to make some money.

"I was really upset to find that the meeting was only open to members of the congregation - the majority of them don't even live in the community."

The vicar of St Margaret's, the Rev John Reed, declined to comment.

Mike Hannon, ward councillor for Orford, said: "I have carried out a full investigation into how this matter was handled. It was delegated to officers for approval because they have set Government guidelines for masts and this one complied with them. The bottom line is that even if the application had gone to commitee the outcome would have been the same because it complies with Government guidelines and health and safety legislation.

"Although I do sympathise with residents, the mast will not be intrusive and will be lost in the landscape. I am willing to organise a meeting for residents with T-Mobile in an attempt to allay any fears they have.

"There is a national fear factor about these masts that needs to be addressed."