Community's phone mast fury in Thurrock

A COMMUNITY is uniting in opposition to a proposed mobile phone base station being installed in Grays because of the unknown health risks.

Vodafone have submitted an application to Thurrock Council to put a radio base station at Viking House, Grays, which is next to the Daneholes roundabout.

Resident Andrea Wright, 40, of Gunning Road, Little Thurrock, said: “I am a parent of children attending Little Thurrock Primary School and the headteacher has just received a letter for the proposal.

“It’s such a short distance from the school and I am not happy that these masts are completely safe.”

Ward Councillor for Little Thurrock, Rob Gledhill, has backed Mrs Wright’s concerns.

He said: “Councillor Ben Maney and I are appalled that Vodafone want to add more phone masts on Lodge Lane.

“We fear that this application is a mast too far and will be strongly opposing it along with the parents and children at the primary school and local residents.”

“They are also next to three parks and recreation areas that are well used by the community.

“If there are concerns expressed on government report about the risks of one mast what would be the effect of having four masts transmitting 24/7 from the same location?”

The proposed Vodafone radio base station is required to improve the 3G coverage to customers in the area.

The site has been chosen as the antennas will be located on a rooftop and allows Vodafone to utilise existing structures and ensures that visual intrusion will be minimised.

As part of Vodafone’s consultation strategy, they have written to Thurrock Council, ward councillors and Little Thurrock Primary School.

Vodafone spokesman, Rob Matthews, said: “We recognise that some communities are concerned regarding the deployment of radio base stations.

“All of our base stations are designed, built and operated in accordance with stringent international guidelines laid down by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection.

“The adoption of these guidelines has the formal backing of independent bodies such as the World Health Organisation.

Mr Matthew’s went on to explain how “typical public exposures” from Vodafone base stations will be many hundreds, if not thousands, of times below these guidelines.