§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the minimum distance is that a telecommunications mast may be from houses. [161241]
§ Yvette CooperThe Stewart Report on Mobile Phones and Health, published in May 2000, did not recommend that the erection of mobile phone masts should be restricted in residential areas and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no plans to introduce such a restriction.
§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will take steps to ensure that mobile telephone operatives consider the case for mast sharing before any application for new masts. [161242]
§ Yvette CooperPlanning Policy Guidance Note 8, "Telecommunications" (PPG8), makes clear the expectation that developers should provide evidence to local planning authorities that they have carefully considered the use of existing masts, buildings and other structures before seeking to erect any new mast, regardless of size. The authority may be justified in refusing prior approval or planning permissions if it considers the evidence regarding the consideration of such alternative sites is not satisfactory.
§ Mr. SpringTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will amend the General Permitted Development Order 1995, section 17 (A), to bring telecommunications masts and base stations erected on land owned by Network Rail into the full local authority planning process. [163037]
§ Keith HillThe Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently taking forward a wide-ranging review of permitted development rights (PDRs), including those available to railway undertakers. On 10 September 2003 we published a research study on permitted development rights from Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners Ltd. This includes a review of the operation of the PDRs available to railway undertakers.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is considering the Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners' report's recommendations carefully and when we decide which of the suggested reforms should be taken forward, we will undertake a public consultation.
644W
§ Annabelle EwingTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the Code of Best Practice on Mobile Phone Network Development issued by his office on 11 November 2002 covers the Tetra project. [161415]
§ Yvette CooperTetra is the acronym for the TErrestrial Trunked RAdio, which is a standard for digital private mobile radio. Airwave mm O2 is currently rolling out a Tetra system on behalf of the Home Office for police forces nation-wide. Airwave have agreed to work to the guidance contained in the Code Of Best Practice on Mobile Network Development.
§ Annabelle EwingTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to amend Planning Policy Guidance Note 8 (revised) (PPG8) in relation to the Tetra project. [161416]
§ Yvette CooperThe Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no plans to change Planning Policy Guidance Note 8 (revised) at present.
§ Annabelle EwingTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive concerning Planning Policy Guidance Note 8 (revised) (PPG8) in relation to the Tetra project. [161417]
§ Yvette CooperThe Scottish Executive was consulted prior to the publication of Planning Policy Guidance Note 8 (revised)