Mum’s protest against 5G phone mast outside Invicta and Valley Park Schools in Maidstone
Published: 13:51, 29 June 2023
A mum battling plans to install a 5G phone mast outside her children’s school has invited other concerned parents to join in with demonstrations planned against the scheme.
Kate Moore is a mum with two sons at Valley Park School in Maidstone.
She was devastated when she learnt Maidstone council had granted approval for Cygnal Infrastructure UK to erect the 15-metre telecomms pole less than 10m from the school boundary. It is also adjacent to Invicta Grammar School on the corner of Huntsman Lane and Ashford Road.
Mrs Moore, from Kings Hill, is concerned there could be an adverse impact on the health of youngsters at the schools, who will be potentially exposed to high frequency radio radiation for several years.
The government insists that there is no danger to health as long as the emissions are below a certain limit – which the applicants have insisted it will – but Mrs Moore points out that 5G technology has not been around long enough for anyone to really know the long-term health effects.
Her concerns were shared by Richard Hayden, chief executive of the Valley Invicta Academies Trust, which runs three schools close to the mast
He opposed the application, worried it would put his 4,000 students and staff at risk.
Mrs Moore sought to challenge the council’s approval of the scheme via a Judicial Review in the courts. She even launched a Crowdfunding campaign to finance the legal action, but when the deadline to make the legal submission came around, she was still about £1,000 short of the target and so could not go ahead.
She said: “I’m now planning on holding two demonstrations at the site of the mast outside the schools. We will be clearly visible to traffic on the main A20.
“Hopefully we can embarrass the council into changing its mind and withdrawing permission, or maybe even the phone company will have a change of heart and look elsewhere.”
Mrs Moore has also filed a formal complaint against the council alleging that it failed to properly consult the public before granting approval. Maidstone council has not yet responded to the complaint.
Mrs Moore is inviting anyone with concerns about 5G emissions to join the demonstration, whether or not they have children at the schools.
The demonstrations will be on Thursday, July 6, between 3pm and 5pm, and on Sunday, July 9, between 11am and 1pm.
She said: ”If you are concerned, come and join us.”
A council planning officer said: “Health impacts are not a material planning consideration when assessing a proposal of this nature. The proposal was assessed solely upon its siting and appearance.”
The reference number is 23/501215.
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Alan Smith