Orange plans phone mast near two Bristol schools

by Marc Rath

Parents reacted with disbelief that telecommunications giant Orange applied to put up a phone mast in Bristol without consulting two nearby schools.

Orange claimed there were no schools within 250m of the proposed site of the 11.8m-high mast in Redland in its planning application to Bristol City Council.

But both Bristol Steiner School and Torwood House Junior School are within 150m of it.

Staff and parents of children at the schools say they were not informed of the proposal and believe the mast could affect pupils' health.

Orange wants to put a lamppost phone mast on the corner of Redland Hill and Durdham Park to improve its network coverage in the Clifton area following the loss of its mast on the Natwest building in Whiteladies Road.

Joel Moreland's six-year-old son Zach goes to Bristol Steiner School, which has 120 pupils aged six to 16 in Redland Hill. He also has a daughter at the school's kindergarten in Cotham.

"We are reasonable people and we all use mobile phones but it doesn't mean you need to put up a mast near two schools," he said.

"There are so many places in Bristol where the masts could go. If we have powerful radiation coming from a mast around the corner, it doesn't fit with the ethos of the school."

Helen Nicholls, the school's administrator, said: "What we've found difficult is that we've had no consultation on this.

"It's a little alarming to think it could have got planning consent and gone up without us knowing about it."

Torwood House Junior School has 50 pupils, aged between seven and 11, in Durdham Park.

Its proprietor, Samantha Packer, said: "We have now prepared a letter to be signed by parents to oppose the plans because it doesn't look like Orange has been through the correct channels.

"As a school we are quite forward thinking but this is a bit different because of the risk of cancer clusters."

Bristol City Council spokeswoman Kate Hartas said Orange made an error in its application, which the council picked up and challenged.

Orange said the schools would be consulted on the plans.

"Based on the mapping software that we use these schools do not show as being within 150m of the proposed site," a spokeswoman said.

"However, in view of people's concerns we will contact both schools in writing.

"On health and safety, our position is informed by the findings of scientific research over the last 40 years and we are satisfied that our masts – operating within national and international guidelines as they do – are safe and do not present a health risk to members of the public."

Orange said the mast on the Natwest building in Whiteladies Road had been removed because the property was being redeveloped and the site had been decommissioned – meaning three ground-based masts, including the one in Redland, were needed to replace it.

"We currently have a very large coverage hole in the area and we have had customer complaints about it," said Orange.

Comments on the plans are being accepted by Bristol City Council until December 9.