Mobile Phone Masts Near Hampstead schools

The mobile phone company O2 has very recently been granted permission, by Camden Council, for a telecommunications installation on the roof of Buckland Court (37 Belsize Park, London NW3), which is situated approximately 40m from our Junior School. The Hall School never agreed to the installation of this mast. We therefore vehemently protest against the way that O2 failed to notify eveyone properly and avoided going through the correct channels when they applied for permission, which Camden failed to acknowledge when they neglectfully granted permission.

While the effects of such an installation on children's health remain ambiguous, the Stewart Report states that a 5 year old will absorb 60% more RF radiation than an adult. We are very frightened about the effect that a new O2 mast could have in such close proximity to where children betweeen the ages of 4 and 8 are educated and play in an outside playground several times a day. The same issues apply also to boys (aged 9-13) in the Middle and Senior Schools, as the beam from one of the antennae is directed towards Crossfield Road.

We feel that there was virtually no consultation process with The Hall School (teachers, governors and parents) prior to the submission of O2's planning application. In fact the address of the siting of the mast was incorrect, hence we were not fairly alerted to this proposal. Similary Camden Council did not consult us sufficiently regarding the T-mobile mast before it went up in 2005, in the same location.

Despite the findings of the Stewart Report on the lack of effect of mast radiation on people living in the surrounding area the Report called for a precautionary approaach. "Under this precautionary approach, the report recommends that the 'beam of intensity' from the base station's antenna should not fall on any part of the school grounds or building without agreement from the school and parents". Furthermore, the application erroneously states "The nearest schools are approximately 400m away."

As the understanding of the effects of radiation from these masts increases with each research study these later studies indicate that there is a real health hazard from such radiation:
1. The German T-Mobile report found "clear evidence for the cancer initiating and cancer promoting effects of high frequency electromagnetic fields used by mobile telephone technology". See http://omega.twoday.net/stories/1655388 for more information.
2. Likewise, the EM-Radiation Research Trust found via the German Naila Study that there was a " threefold increase after five years exposure to microwave radiation from a mobile mast transmitter for up to 400 meter distance, compared to those patients living further away ".See http://www.radiationresearch.org/newsletter170606.htm and http://www.powerwatch.org.uk/news/20041118_naila.asp,
3.A study conducted by the Sackler Faculty of Medicine indicates " an association between increased incidents of cancer and living in proximity to a cell phone transmitter". See http://www.powerwatch.org.uk/news/20050207_israel.pdf

It is our desire to prevent the erection of this installation so close to our children at this vulnerable age.