Helensburgh Advertiser | News | Club mast sparks fury at Colgrain

Friday, 25th July, 2008

Published: Thursday, 20th March, 2008 12:00

Club mast sparks fury at Colgrain

By Steve McElroy

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A FATHER is threatening to take legal action over alleged health risks from phone masts if a new telecom pole is erected at Colgrain.

Furious residents claim they had not been informed that a communication mast was being moved from the site of the new Hermitage Academy to nearby Colgrain Bowling Club — which already houses an existing antenna.

T-Mobile, who own the mast, claim they notified all residents last June, without objections. Consequently, Argyll and Bute Council officer —, under delegated powers — approved the application in October.

The Advertiser revealed three weeks ago that the mast move had prompted complaints of lack of notification. Helensburgh and Lomond South councillor, Andrew Nisbet, is investigating whether or not people in the vicinity were notified of the development.

One objector, Alan Wark, has written to the council and Councillor Nisbet over his “grave concerns” about the correct procedures and processes allegedly not being followed, prior to the planning decision.

He said the course of action could affect residents’ health and that councillors had “a duty of care.”

Mr Wark told the council: “While I am confident that this decision was made in good faith and that the agreed rules and procedures had been adhered to, I now need to inform you that this is fact is not the case.

“I have never received any correspondence from the telecommunications company involved informing me there was an application before the council and it would appear there are several residents in the area who find themselves in the same position as myself, who have not received the appropriate and necessary paperwork to make this application legal.”

Mr Wark said he was aware the bowling club was in discussions with a telecom company to site a mast and he had signed a petition opposing any move. He added: “Ultimately, if the decision is approved and masts are proved to be unsafe in the future, I reserve the right to take legal action against both the council and the councillors involved, should I or my family suffer ill health due to the erection of any communications mast within the bowling club.”

Councillor Nisbet wrote to all residents in Colgrain, who were supposed to have been notified of the mast development and out of 22 letters only four responded stating they were unaware of the new mast.

He said: “Council officers have gone back to T-Mobile and they have confirmed they sent notification letters out. I have also asked for clarification from the company but have not received in reply at this stage. There is a valid planning application and my understanding is that if there was a problem with notification it may not make the application invalid.

“Unless T-Mobile sent letters by recorded delivery we may not get to the bottom of it.”

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