Local Residents Fury over Hounslow Planners

11.32.39am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 5th Dec 2005

Twickenham residents, living near the border with Hounslow, are furious that Hounslow Council has disregarded a 120 strong petition and 50 letters protesting over the siting of a large mobile 'phone mast next to a block of flats. Residents were not allowed to put their objections to Hounslow's planning committee; no effort appears to have been undertaken to find a better site; and Vincent Cable, MP, said it was "grossly hypocritical" for Hounslow Council to refuse permission for masts on its own land and then give planning permission for a mast on a tiny patch of grass which it doesn't own. Residents are hoping that Richmond Council, which also has to give permission, will listen to them.

Vincent Cable said: "there are genuine planning problems associated with objections to masts since councils are now allowed to reject them on health grounds and can only consider planning objections like visual appearance which is not an issue in this case. Nonetheless, councils are obliged to consider the strength of local feeling whether or not fears are scientifically validated. Hounslow seems to have a very ambivalent approach: banning them on its own land but refusing even to listen to objectors. This very tough for Richmond residents living on the borough border who are dependent on Hounslow Council in cases like this".