East Marden Against TETRA

East Marden is a very small village (70 residents) in the South Downs, ten miles north of Chichester.

Currently we are fighting an appeal by Walden Telecom, lodged on behalf of Airwave, against the erection of two antennae on the roof of a barn at Bow Hill Farm.

See below for how to help with the appeal.

Our story

December 2003

A planning application was lodged concerning the erection of two antennae on Bow Hill Farm in mid December 2003.

TETRA antennae were located at each end of this barn at Bow Hill Farm

A ‘consultation’ meeting was held, at 3pm on the Thursday before Christmas, attended by a police representative and a planning consultant. The lady from O2 Airwave did not show up. Despite the awkward time and the short notice many residents did attend and it was clear from the tone of the meeting that people were very concerned.

January 2004

A petition was launched and a further public meeting was held on January 4th 2004. Matters came to a head when on 10th January, O2 Airwave came in the middle of the night and installed the mast – before the planning application had been heard by CDC.

The mast was eventually taken down by O2 Airwave, but we believe by this time they had had the mast working and had managed to carry out their testing. (If not, what was the point putting the thing up?)

TETRA signal measured at Bow Hill Farm

	TETRA signal measuring at Bow Hill Farm

January 28th

CDC councillors voted unanimously to reject the planning application for the two antennae on the grounds of perceived risk to health in the local community. There were over 460 objection letters, and most of the local community wrote. These were both crucial factors in the planning committee’s decision to refuse the original application.

The Appeal

April 27th 2004

True to form, and almost at the end of the three month time period, an appeal was lodged. This is going to be heard by written representation, despite the fact that the Sidlesham mast was rejected on the same grounds and it is subject to a public hearing.

August 2004

Backlogs at the Planning Inspectorate mean that the appeal over Combe Hill will not be heard until November. The temporary mast at Forge Farm, Rogate is due to come down in December.

This is the state of the ‘complete network’ handed over and accepted by Sussex Police Authority.

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