To: Tim Slaney, Director of Planning at South Downs National Park, Leigh Palmer, Head of Planning, Lewes District Council, and C K Hutchison Networks (Three)

We are calling for the immediate removal of the illegally installed 5G mast next to Wallands Community Primary and Nursery school on Nevill Road, Lewes. The mast has no valid planning permission or safety certificate, is too close to the school, and creates a blot on the landscape of the South Downs National Park. There is no evidence of any need for a mast in this sensitive location.

• No permission or safety certificate The planning authority has confirmed that the mast has been built in a different location than shown on the plans. It therefore has no planning permission. It is also a different design of mast, so has no valid ICNIRP safety certificate – meaning there is no way of knowing whether radiation levels close to the mast meet international guidelines.
• Too close to young children The antennae are just 20 metres from (and roughly head height with) the school, and even closer to the nursery than shown on the plans. It is also extremely close to a public footpath used by children going to school (this path was omitted from the plans). This raises huge safety concerns since children are inherently more susceptible to harm from radio frequency radiation than adults. Despite Three Mobile’s many attempts to place 5G masts next to primary schools, several planning authorities are now refusing permission (see recent cases in Fishersgate, West Hove and Worthing. 
• Overbearing, unsightly and incongruous The 18m high mast overshadows surrounding houses, is more intrusive than the approved design, and has been built further down the road – placing it directly opposite one resident’s front path (see photo below). The operator states in the application that it discounted other potential locations because they were ‘directly opposite residences’. The mast is completely incongruous in this residential location – an area described as ‘semi-rural’ by planning officers. 
• Blight on the South Downs National Park The mast is visible from far and wide, creating a stark contrast with the open downland views, and interrupting one of the National Park’s key ‘protected views’ (from Landport Bottom into Lewes). This is despite the Government’s statement that ‘it is important that the visual impacts of new network development are mitigated, and local amenity is protected as much as possible. This is especially important in more sensitive locations such as National Parks’.
• Why this location? The mast’s sole operator, Three, has provided no evidence (as required by the National Planning Policy Framework) of any need for this mast. Given that there are no 5G masts in the entire town or surrounds, there is no justification for a mast to be located in this specific, very sensitive location.
• Vulnerable people at risk ICNIRP states that its guidelines on radiation exposure do not protect people with any metal in their body as the action of radio frequency radiation is unpredictable in the presence of metal. This means people with metal implants, dental work, or pacemakers, as well as people with electro hypersensitivity, have no assurance of safety. 

We require the planning authorities (South Downs National Park and Lewes District Council) to: 

• Issue a stop notice to prevent further work on the site
• Issue an immediate enforcement notice
• Overturn their approval for the original site
• Reject any future applications for a mast in this sensitive location

Please sign and share our petition today.

 

 

 

View of the mast from the front garden opposite

 

 

 

Mast in centre of South Downs National Park ‘protected view’

 

 

 

View of the mast from Landport Bottom

 

 

 

Mast as seen from gate to nursery