Stop this unfair appeals system

14 February 2007

The residents of Valence Avenue, in Dagenham, have won five appeals opposing a controversial phone mast application over three years.

Firstly, three were won at Development Control Board meetings on January 27 and July 5 in 2005, and on August 16, 2006.

We won a further two appeals to the Planning Inspectorate, appointed by the First Secretary of State, on April 28, 2006, and February 1, 2007 - but these decisions are not the final say in this matter.

Where is the justice in this system?

Now that Orange PCS Ltd has lost their latest appeal, will this stop them making further applications over and over again on this site?

The government says the community needs the network.

But how can they justify this, when already there are enough masts installed which are up and running on sites in our neighbourhood for 24 hours a day, seven days a week?

I have raised this subject several times over the last three years, and I believe the government discriminates against residents.

They have a conflict of interest over the controversial telecommunications base stations.

They put profit-making companies before anxious residents who then have to endure their appeal system time and time again.

When the mobile phone companies do finally win an appeal after losing countless times, the residents have to pay the cost of making an appeal to the High Court in London, for the final say in this very important mater.

I believe there needs to be a public inquiry to stop this unjust system.

Mr A J Brown

Valence Avenue

Dagenham