Forum Topic

'Monster Mast' Planned for Putney Bridge Road shock horror!

Meanwhile, the front page of this site is reporting that a 20 metre high pole has been proposed, to be sited near St Joseph's Primary School. Just wait until the conspiracy theorists/anti vaxxers/covidiots find out! http://www.putneysw15.com/default.asp?section=info&page=conplanning004.htm

Richard Carter ● 2042d18 Comments

I thought there was a planning application for both masts, one by St Cecilia's and the other on Putney Bridge Road.I agree that there is a need for planning applications of these masts as well as with your comment about the insane unlimited development of thousands of now largely unsaleable flats in the area.

Ivonne Holliday ● 2037d

People are missing the point that this application - at this stage - is just to determine whether planning permission is required for the erection of this huge mast. Regardless of the rights and wrongs of these 5G masts - and there are concerns which may or may not be justified about their safety and effect on the environment and health of local people - the answer must surely be "yes, planning permission IS required" .Who is to decide whether it is essential for the operation of the network? Why, the Three Group of course! I completely fail to see why communications infrastructure should be exempt from the planning regulations that apply to the rest of us.Worth noting that this application is a direct result of the Council's allowing insane unlimited development of thousands of unnecessary and largely unsaleable flats in the area.

Hugh Walton ● 2038d

I've only skimmed it but this paper just seems to be measuring the radio frequency power extrapolating the increase at higher frequencies absorbed by the bee at specific frequencies and extrapolating the increase in power absorption at higher frequencies (5G?). It seems to reference other papers that determine the amount of heating that would induce in a bee. It's unclear to me how the RF powers mentioned relate to whether the bee is perched on top of an aerial on a mast or on a flower in a neighbouring garden - which are going to be significantly different! So I don't think one can draw many conclusions from this article on its own? I suspect insecticides are a greater threat to bees but one can't be sure.

Michael Ixer ● 2040d

There's also a long and rather difficult paper on the journal Nature, measuring the radio-frequency electromagnetic field exposure of western honey bees (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-56948-0) but despite struggling with it for some time, I can't see any useful conclusions.

Richard Carter ● 2040d

Looks like people are researching it, so says Mr Google. The results look a bit inconclusive at present ...https://www.newscientist.com/article/2216690-radio-waves-from-electric-devices-may-affect-the-body-clock-of-insects/

Michael Ixer ● 2041d

Conspiracy theories about 5G seem far-fetched. But I'd like to know whether any studies show the effect of the radio waves on insects, particularly bees. Mankind would be stupid if we unwittingly damaged bees, and companies criminal if they knowingly damaged bees.

Bill Christie ● 2041d

Agreed. There's no evidence that low power radio waves cause any health issues.  Interesting, many parents seem happy for their children to carry smartphones so objections to masts near schools seems inconsistent. However,  reviews are necessary as more is discovered: we no longer x-ray children's feet to see if shoes fit, and nuclear power has proved problematic - although  many because of poor management taking short cuts or being idiotic ...but, yes, technology will march on ...

Michael Ixer ● 2041d

We need to ensure we keep up with technological advantages in the UK. 5G is the next advance. Why are people so against this? Imagine if other technological advances had the same resistance for unproven (in fact proven safe) reasons

Gabrielle OMahony ● 2041d

yet again, not answering the point, just meaningless rambling lol.

Matt Palmer ● 2041d

Well have the mast next to your home or Richards. Get rid of plastic and rubbish left by ER, that would be a start. As there is no Hammersmith Bridge how can you complain about climate change when all vehicles are now going over Putney Bridge.

Barbara Stevens ● 2041d

I find it odd that Barbara doesnt like phone masts because they give you brain cancer (unproven) and yet doesnt like people protesting against pollution that does cause cancer (proven).

Matt Palmer ● 2041d

"I do not understand why they put these poles next to schools."Because school premises are council owned and therefore they won't object to them.

John Kettlekey ● 2041d

Richard why are you defending a mast. why not keep to the road blockages or you might miss something.

Barbara Stevens ● 2042d

"More brain and cancer and illness."It's hard to counter the ignorance and plain stupidity prevalent in the debate about the possible effects of 5G because believers are immune to evidence, but I'll try anyway. Here are two examples:  "Over the past 15 years, studies examining a potential relationship between RF transmitters and cancer have been published. These studies have not provided evidence that RF exposure from the transmitters increases the risk of cancer. Likewise, long-term animal studies have not established an increased risk of cancer from exposure to RF fields, even at levels that are much higher than produced by base stations and wireless networks."https://www.who.int/peh-emf/publications/facts/fs304/en/"As you'll see from our fact checks linked throughout this article, there's no connection between 5G and coronavirus, and no evidence of any health risk from 5G."https://fullfact.org/online/5g-and-coronavirus-conspiracy-theories-came/

Richard Carter ● 2042d

More brain and cancer and illness.

Barbara Stevens ● 2042d

Thank you Richard.However horrible and cynical I am, is there anything this government says to be believed?  How many U-turns??I am not being horrible towards you, not in the slightest and hope you do not believe so.The A-level results were robust?We have an oven-ready deal?...  I shall stop here - better for everybody's health!

Ivonne Holliday ● 2042d

"I do not understand why they put these poles next to schools."From the report: "The government have advised planning authorities that the scientific evidence does not give any indication of any extra health risk from this technology and therefore this would not be considered as valid grounds for an objection."

Richard Carter ● 2042d

I do not understand why they put these poles next to schools.  Another one was proposed (or approved?) by St Cecilia's school in Southfields.For the one by St Cecilia's, they propose "boxing in" the bottom half with the only inconvenience that the boxing in takes up most of the pavement... ????

Ivonne Holliday ● 2042d