Residents fearing microwave radiation and possibly cancer are furious that plans for three mobile phone masts in their street have been given the green light.

They claimed the proposals had been agreed by Tory-controlled Basildon Council in spite of a policy of rejecting, whenever possible, applications for masts when they would be erected near homes.

Campaigner William Champion, of Ballards Walk, Laindon, said: "I think it's absolutely disgraceful. "The mast will be right outside our house - within 30 yards. We will look out of our front door and it will be there."

He added: "We thought we had won last year when we went to a lot of effort opposing the plans for the masts to be built - and now it looks like it's going ahead."

Aside from destroying the view, Mr Champion says he fears the mobile phone radio masts will emit microwave radiation and cause cancer.

"It has not been proven, but while we are in doubt we should be fighting against masts being built in our back yard," he said.

Councils across the country have responded to public outcry by declining many planning applications for mobile phone companies to build masts, which the firms say are needed to improve their service.

Former leader of Basildon Council Nigel Smith (Lab) said: "I am really livid over this.

"The council has a policy that these masts should not be built near people's homes."

In the Defending the Environment section of their manifesto, the Conservatives pledged not to give the green light to mobile phone mast planning applications.

Stephen Hillier, Basildon Council's Conservative portfolio holder for regeneration and environment, said he was not able to comment on the phone mast approval until more information had been made available to him.

Published Thursday, May 1, 2003

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