There has been some good news this week for campaigners against the proposed Tetra mast at Penally. At a recent meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council's planning committee, a decision was made to defer the application to site the mast for police and emergency services communications on a site on the Ridgeway, pending enquiries into possible alternative sites. Great concern had been expressed as the proposed site was within 75 yards of a holiday house for families with disabled children Mr. Jeff Parris, vice-president of Airwave O2, the company that wishes to erect the mast on the Arqiva site, has since attended a meeting with the Harriet Davis Trust, which owns the house in question, and stated that: "If the Trust could find another site for the mast, they (O2) would go to it." Dyfed-Powys Police were also represented at the meeting and advised that they would assist the company in identifying other potential locations. It is understood that Airwave O2 have now been informed of other potential locations and it is anticipated that in view of Mr. Parris's undertaking he will instruct his staff to fully explore the suitability of these sites to provide the necessary coverage. At the planning committee's meeting, some councillors were concerned at the possibility of an appeal by the company to the Welsh Assembly if the application was refused which if won could result in costs being awarded against the council. However, a previous appeal for a mast in this area was refused by the Welsh Assembly Inspector and, among other reasons for the refusal, he stated: "Whilst a solution in this area might well involve the development of a new site, this would nevertheless cause less harm than the intensification of the structures now proposed;" and "the proposal would detract from the amenity of the users of the nearby holiday home for families with disabled children." The advice from the Assembly is that costs are only awarded where one of the parties has acted in an unreasonable manner. Against the background of the Inspector's previous judgement, it would not seem unreasonable for the planning committee to chose to adopt the same attitude as that of the Welsh Assembly's Inspectorate. One of the campaigners against the mast, Ann Dassen, added: "I am delighted that we have been able to release this information at last. We are very, very grateful to Dyfed Powys Police. Penally Community Council will also be issuing a letter, completely refuting claims regarding Appeal costs and stating that any new mast 200m away from the one applied for would still not be a safe enough distance from The Wheelabout. "We only have to remember what happened to dear little Nicola Packard at Portfield School ,Haverfordwest, who suffered fits when the Tetra mast was switched on at Haverfordwest Police Station, which is a far greater distance than 200m away. Nicola was awarded Home Tuition by Pembrokeshire County Council. "We would also state that it would still be adding to the mass of emissions coming from the four masts already installed up there and would be going against Planning Inspectorate written statements."
