Houghton to raise mobile phone radiation concerns in Tynwald

North Douglas MHK, John Houghton, is to ask the Chief Minister at tomorrow's sitting of Tynwald whether he will organise a working party to consider mobile phone base station emissions with a view to introducing appropriate regulations.

The Question has been prompted by fears, raised by residents and businesses in Onchan, following the installation of new base stations, by Cable & Wireless, on the roof of the Village Walk Health Centre.

These latest installations increased the number of transmitters on the roof, as Manx Telecom has had equipment installed for several years.

The occupants of the Health Centre want all the masts removed.

Roy Maddrell, of Manx Telecom, informed The Manx Herald that their installation had been designed "to meet all standards and guidelines - but that they are prepared to review the installation."

Phillipa Fletcher, of Shoprite, the owner of the building, said, "Cable & Wireless approached us on the basis Manx Telecom already had transmitters sited on the property. Manx Telecom?s equipment has been installed for many years and without any complaints."

Apparently C&W had surveyed the area around Onchan but couldn't find any other suitable sites.

"Initially I said no, as I didn't want to upset our existing tenant (MT)" explained Ms Fletcher. However, C&W persisted, "They came back twice saying ours was a tall building and gave the best coverage."

When asked whether Shoprite had approached other tenants of the building about the proposals Ms Fletcher replied, "No, it didn't occur to me to go back to them - but the DHSS did know about the Manx Telecom equipment when they moved in."

She said she found the response, from some of the tenants, about not seeing the planning application notice surprising. "One of the notices was positioned near to the Doctors' parking spaces - they would have walked past it several times a day."

Ms Fletcher said that a review, of Shoprite's files, had identified the company had made the appropriate inquiries, about the safety of mobile phone base stations, prior to the installation of the Manx Telecom equipment.

"I accompanied Cable & Wireless, on a site visit last week, to test the output of the equipment. The levels were tiny and well within WHO guidelines. Some other equipment, tested in the pharmacy, gave a higher reading" she claimed.

Shoprite and the DHSS have requested the UK's Ofcom regulator to conduct an independent survey.