Lib Dems call for changes in Phone Mast planning applications

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 27th Jan 2005

Crawley Lib Dems have called for changes in the way Phone Mast applications are dealt with. At present, planning applications are sped through the system with less checks and controls than other applications.

Therefore Crawley Borough Council Lib Dems have put forward a motion for this to be changed in line with the bill put to parliament recently by Lib Dem MP Andrew Stunell.

"We have put forward this motion with the hope that it will receive all party support." said Crawley Lib Dem Group Leader Cllr.Gordon Seekings. "We have also asked the Council's Chief Executive to write to Crawley's MP, Laura Moffat, to call for her support for this bill."

The full wording of the motion, to be discussed at the next Full Council meeting is as follows.

This Council:

• is concerned that its present ability is impaired, through the planning process, to act in the best interests of local residents in relation to the proliferation of mobile telephone masts;

• as a result it welcomes the Private Member's Bill recently introduced by Andrew Stunell MP to give local Councils greater powers in this regard, and in particular (a) to prohibit any development without planning permission and (b) to allow a local Council to have regard to health issues on a precautionary basis; and

• therefore instructs the Chief Executive to write to Crawley's MP to urge her to support this Bill.