§ Mr. WoodwardTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what national planning guidelines there are on the siting of transmission masts on schools and colleges; and if he will make a statement. [91501]
§ Mr. RaynsfordPlanning policy guidance on telecommunications development is set out in Planning Policy Guidance note 8 (revised December 1992), supplemented by DETR Circular 4/99 "Planning for Telecommunications". In addition, my Department has published in March 1996 a Code of Best Practice for local planning authorities and telecommunications code system operators on telecommunications prior approval procedures as applied to mast/tower development.
My Department has also issued for consultation the draft of a circular on land use planning and electro-magnetic fields (EMFs) prepared jointly with the Department of Health. The circular provides draft advice to local planning authorities in deciding applications for development giving rise to EMFs, such as telecommunications base stations. We are considering the responses received.