Mobile phone mast moves residents to angry response

Mobile phones are one thing: mobile phone masts are another.

The people of Harold's Cross in Dublin are "furious" about a mast installed by Esat Digifone just over two weeks ago which sits on a platform on wheels. The company says planning permission is not needed because the mast is mobile. The 15m-high mast is in a yard at the rear of a firm of chartered accountants on Harold's Cross Road. None of the firm's partners was available for comment yesterday. Esat Digifone installed the mast during the night of June 2nd, and informed local residents by letter the following day.

The letter says: "We would like to advise you that this telecommunications support structure is a mobile temporary structure and will be removed within four months of its installation.

"Accordingly, under the Local Government (Planning and Development) Regulations, 1994, the support structure, being a `transportable radio link' is exempt from planning permission."

A spokeswoman for the Department for the Environment confirmed that "transportable radio links" are given special exemption from the planning regulations on the grounds of being "temporary". However such structures must be cleared by local authorities.

According to Esat Digifone, a planning officer had been to the site and had approved it. However, a spokesperson for Dublin Corporation said it had no record of any of its officers visiting the site. Yesterday morning, when The Irish Times visited the site, the mast was humming as it worked.

Mrs Sandra Stammers lives at 5 Fitzpatrick Cottages, a row of eight cottages which are 20 m from the mast. She said she was concerned for the safety of her daughter Nicole (4).

"I would be worried to let her out when it's making that noise."

Ms Edie Compton, of No 1, said she was incensed at the manner in which the mast was installed. "If they had even asked us would we mind and explained to us what they were doing before they came along at 10 o'clock at night with it."

Esat Digifone said it had to be installed at night because of time constraints.

Asked whether the mast would be moved from the site by September, a spokeswoman for Esat Digifone said: "We are working for a solution."