[28
JUN 00] SEVERN
TRENT NEWS
Another Halt To Water Tower Work
Work to install new
mobile phone antennae on a water tower has been halted - again!
The phone company
One2One has decided to go away for a rethink in the face of public
pressure.
Andy King MP has
written to the managing directors of One2One, that wants to run the
mast, and Severn Trent, which owns the water tower, telling them to
halt work.
He said not enough
effort has been put into finding alternate sites.
Mr King (Lab, Rugby
and Kenilworth) said:
“Villagers are
very concerned that there is no evidence that the full range of
alternative options have been investigated.
“The whole matter
has been a disaster as far as One2One has been concerned relying on
false information, such as the location of the water tower and its
proximity to homes.
“This has been
compounded by the fact that One2One did not even know that a nursery
school was so close to the tower and this only came to light when
One2One attempted to start work on the site.”
He said the efforts
to find a new site by the phone company had been a ‘token gesture’
and accused the company of an ‘insensitive and high-handed
approach’.
Villagers are hoping
that their local water company, which owns the controversial site, may
well pull out of the deal and force 121 to look elsewhere. Severn
Trent said everything has now gone on hold while One2One do look at
other options.
A barricade by
residents means that work could not begin without controversy. A
previous attempt to install equipment was halted by villagers blocking
the entry.
A Severn Trent
spokesman said today:
“We have had
correspondence from 121, and they are now going to resubmit new
proposals following the concern by local residents.
“We are going to
wait and see what they have to say. Nothing will be built until we
have seen the revised plan.”
Brian Duckworth,
Severn Trent managing director, said of the work by One2One:
“They are to
thoroughly explore all the avenues to identify alternatives to the
present propoals. This may include amendments to the design on the
tower to such an extent that the local community will feel it is
acceptable.
“Let us hope that
a solution acceptable to all is ultimately found.”
Alternate sites
suggested locally include a disused pylon, a nearby Powergen mast and
the Cable and Wireless mast at Westwood Heath.
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