The Council's view

The Council recognises public concern about mobile phones and base stations. It acknowledges that people may be concerned about health risks, the implications of siting

A mobile phone mast near their home or near their child's school or the effect that equipment may have on the appearance of a building, a street or even the landscape where it might be proposed.

However, many of us have come to accept mobile phones as part of our every day lives. They bring many benefits to people and businesses. They are an effective and useful form of communication and their level of use has grown substantially in recent years. Oftel indicate that in the UK in 2002 46 million people were using mobile phones. In the same year 80% of households had at least one mobile. 60% of small businesses and 83% of medium sized businesses had at least one mobile. Technology is always developing and the telecommunications industry aims to improve its service to its customers. This inevitably means, particularly with increased use, that new equipment needs to be installed or replaced.

The Council considers it best that any view taken on this subject is well informed. This is why this information has been produced to identify key issues and how you can find out more.

Government policy

The government's policy is to facilitate the growth of new and existing telecommunications systems whilst keeping environmental impact to a minimum. The Government also has the responsibility for protecting public health.

The Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones IEGMP (also referred to as the Stewart Group) was set up in 1999 to examine the possible effects from the use of mobile phones, base stations and transmitters on health. It published its findings "Mobile Phones and Health" in May 2000 and shortly afterwards the Government Response to this was published.

The Stewart Group report concluded that:

the balance of evidence examined suggested that exposures to radio-frequency (RF) radiation below the National Radiological Protection Board and the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines does not cause adverse health effects to the general population

there was evidence to suggest that there may be biological effects occurring at exposures below these guidelines and also that, at the frequencies used in mobile technology, children will absorb more energy than adults

it was not possible to say that exposure to RF radiation, even at levels below national guidelines, was totally without potential adverse health effects, and that gaps in knowledge were sufficient to justify a precautionary approach.

The report therefore recommended that a specific precautionary approach should be adopted until much more detailed and scientifically robust information on any health effects becomes available. The report also made a recommendation that further research be undertaken, and the Government is taking this forward under a Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme.

For further information on the Stewart Group report contact NRPB and for information on the Government Response contact Department of Health (See contacts below).

The Council's Corporate policy

The Stewart Report's precautionary line as well as public concern in relation to possible health risks has instigated a policy being approved by the Council in February 2003. The Council has placed a restriction on further mobile phone installations on Council owned land or buildings unless the operator is able to prove a need and that safeguards are built into the lease/license. It also will seek to recover those sites where there is not a legal right of lease/license renewal.

Other action the Council has taken is:

Invited the Radiocommunications Agency to carry out a safety Audit of base stations on or near schools

Revised the telecommunications policy for planning applications so that it is brought up to date with government policy requiring in particular that the operator certify that the installation will operate within international guidelines for exposure.

Requested that the local Members of Parliament lobby for improvements to the legislative controls and public information on this subject.

Mobile phones and health

Radio waves emitted above a certain level can cause heating effects in the body. There are international guidelines which indicate the limits of exposure to avoid this. All mobile phones in the UK fall within these guidelines. Research shows that for the general population radio waves within these guidelines do not present health problems. However, there is evidence of changes in brain activity.

As there are significant gaps in our knowledge the Stewart Group has recommended a precautionary approach. If you use a mobile phone, you can choose to minimise your exposure to radio waves. These are ways to do so:

keep your calls short

consider relative SAR values when buying a new phone.

SAR values are measures of how much radio wave energy your body receives from a phone and are available for all new mobile phones sold in the UK.

The Stewart Group recommended that because the head and nervous system are still developing into the teenage years children and young people under 16 might be more vulnerable than adults to unrecognised health risks. The UK Chief Medical Officers have recommended that if parents wish to avoid their children being subject to possible risk that might be identified in the future they should exercise their choice not to let their children use mobile phones.

More information on Mobile Phones and Health can be obtained from the Department of Health (See contacts below).

Base stations and health

Concern is often expressed by people who live or work near base stations. The Stewart Group's conclusion was that

"The balance of evidence is that there is no general risk to the health of people living near base stations, on the basis that exposures are expected to be small fractions of the guidelines."

Again because there are gaps in knowledge further work has been set up by the Government to ensure that our research keeps pace with advancing technology.

The Stewart Group did not recommend that base stations should not be located on or near schools. It did, however, recommend that the beam of greatest intensity should not be permitted to fall on any part of the school grounds without the agreement of the school or parents. This part of the beam will generally fall between 50 to 200m from the base of a mast.

More information on Mobile Phones and Base Stations [external] can be obtained from the Department of Health (See contacts below).

Applications for base stations through the planning system

Often people will get to hear about proposals for a new base station when an application is made. However, it is often also the case that the installation of telecommunications equipment is not of a size or scale that requires planning permission. The only reliable way in which to find out if there are any operational base stations near you is by looking at the Sitefinder website or contacting the Radio Communications Agency (see contacts below).

For those proposals that require an application measures are in place to consult local people and school bodies before a decision is made. Furthermore, the system has controls in ensuring that such proposals minimise their visual impact on their surroundings.

Operators must also provide detailed technical information on their equipment together with certification that the radiation levels are within International guidelines for public exposure. Provided this is done it is Government policy that it should not be necessary for the Local Planning Authority powers to consider health issues further.

For more information on the operation of the planning system in relation to telecommunications and planning policy see Planning Policy Guidance Note 8 Telecommunications and also the Councils Unitary Development Plan.

Useful contacts

  • For general enquiries contact:
    Waltham Forest Direct:
    Tel 020 8496 3000
    Email wfdirect@walthamforest.gov.uk
  • Development Management Admin:
    Sustainable Communities
    Sycamore House, Town Hall Complex
    Forest Road, Walthamstow
    London E17 4JF
    Tel 020 8496 3000
    Portfolio Management (Council Property):
    Walthamstow Town Hall
    Forest Road, Walthamstow
    London E17 4JF
    Tel 0208 496 3000
  • Community Protection
    Sustainable Communities
    Sycamore House, Town Hall Complex
    Forest Road, Walthamstow
    London E17 4JF
    Tel 020 8496 3000
  • Department of Health:
    The Department of Health
    Richmond House
    79 Whitehall
    London SW1A 2NS
    Tel 0207 210 4850
    Minicom 0207 210 5025
    Email dhmail@doh.gsi.gov.uk
    Web www.doh.gov.uk
  • National Radiological Protection Board:
    National Radiological Protection Board
    Chilton
    Didcot
    Oxon OX11 0RQ
    Tel 01235 831600
    Fax 01235 833891
    Email nrpb@nrpb.org
    Web www.nrpb.org
  • Radio Communications Agency:
    Radio Communications Agency
    Wyndham House
    189 Marsh Wall
    London E14 9SX
    United Kingdom
    Tel 020 7211 0211
    Fax 020 7211 0507
    Email library@ra.gsi.gov.uk
    Web http://www.radio.gov.uk
  • Mobile Operators Association:
    Mobile Operators Association (MOA)
    Russell Square House
    10-12 Russell Square
    London WC1B 5EE
    Tel 020 7331 2015
    Fax 020 7331 2047
    Email info@ukmoa.org
    Web www.mobilemastinfo.com
  • Mobile Communications and Health Research Programme (MTHR):
    Information solely by Web or Email
    Tel Not available Fax: Not available
    Email mthr@nrpb.org
    Web www.mthr.org.uk

Contact us

Sustainable Communities
Environment and Regeneration
Waltham Forest Council
Sycamore House
Forest Road
London E17 4JF
Tel 020 8496 3000
Email wfdirect@walthamforest.gov.uk