Anger as O2 phone mast gets green light

The application by O2 to place the mast next to Condorrat Library, on North Road, was refused by planning officials at North Lanarkshire Council earlier this year.

But, after appealing the decision to the Scottish Government, O2 has now had the application granted.

Vice-chairman of Condorrat Residents' and Tenants' Association, John Burke, said: "This mast was unanimously rejected by the council and residents.

"The decision by the Scottish Government has put a dampener on the village. We will now have four phone masts in the area. The health affects of these are still not known.

"It's also going to cause disabled access problems at the library and will be an issue for kids walking to school."

Local councillor and planning committee member Danny Carrigan said he was 'bitterly disappointed' that the Scottish Government had allowed the mast to go ahead in the face of such strong opposition from the local community and the council's planning committee.

He added: "I am also disappointed the telephone company did not take up my offer of meeting to discuss an alternative site.

"We realise that mobiles are required in society now, but this site is impractical. It's on a pavement next to the library."

A spokesman for O2 said: "We carried out an assessment of the recent planning refusal and it was apparent that we had grounds for an appeal.

"O2 and Vodafone take these public concerns seriously and are committed to providing the latest independent peer-reviewed research findings, information, advice and guidance from national and international agencies on radio frequency/electromagnetic fields."

Work on the mast will start later this year and it should be finished by January 2011.