Mobile telephone masts

1240/5(3103)

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT BY DEPUTY R.G. LE HERISSIER OF ST. SAVIOUR

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY, 21st NOVEMBER 2006

Question

Would the Minister confirm that all mobile telephone masts for which he has given permission conform to the requirements laid down by the Health and Social Services Department?

In summary, would the Minister state those requirements and any other pertinent advice received from that Department?

Given the granting of four licences to mobile phone operators, would the Minister identify what steps were taken to minimise a proliferation of masts?

Answer

Following the receipt of the first planning applications to support new mobile phone operators on the Island earlier this year, the Council of Ministers asked for advice from Health and Social Services.

The Health and Social Services Report in April 2006 made a number of recommendations and I have insisted that all of these are followed. These were -

"All  base  stations  are  to  be  subject  to  the  scrutiny  of  the  planning  applications  process  to  ensure compliance with internationally agreed standards;

There should be improved consultation by the network operator with the community prior to the selection of a site for a base station;

Emissions from base stations must as a minimum meet the ICNIRP guidelines for public exposure, as expressed in the EU Council Recommendation.  However, the States should seek to ensure that Network operators voluntarily agree to comply with levels lower than international guidelines;

Measurement  of  the  actual  levels  of  radiation  from  base  stations  must  be  undertaken  following commissioning to show compliance and be a condition of the planning permit;

Mobile Phone network operators deliver with the States of Jersey a database of information available to the public on radio base stations;

There is cross industry agreement on the sharing of sites and masts for radio base stations wherever possible."

I shall take these recommendations in turn, indicating steps taken to ensure that each installation conforms to these requirements.

Internationally agreed standards, and emission levels

Taking these in turn, emissions from all base stations are within internationally agreed levels in particular those specified by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). This accords with the advice given by Lord Stewart's Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (IEGMP) (2000). Following the moratorium I called in October, I requested everyone who was concerned over the effects of the installations on health to make their concerns known to me. These concerns highlighted various alternative levels of maximum emissions that are significantly lower than those identified by the Stewart Report. These levels do not yet appear to be backed by the scientific community at large. However emissions by base stations on Jersey are also below those levels suggested as an alternative to ICNIRP.

Community consultation by the network operator

In every case where there has been disquiet over a proposed installation I have encouraged and facilitated discussions between the phone companies and those people with concerns. I cannot require the companies to do this as a matter of statutory responsibility but all of the companies have been willing to discuss concerns. In some cases this has resulted in installations being moved, re-designed or even proposals withdrawn.

Measurement of emissions

Every  planning  application  had  a  condition  attached  that  required  a  report  to  be  submitted  after  the commissioning of a site, which specifies what the actual emissions from the installation are. So far as I am aware, no other Government requests this verification. In every case so far, the emission levels have been below ICNIRP levels and indeed lower than the alternative levels I have mentioned above.

Installations database

A  database  of  all  the  installations  that  require  planning  permission  is  available  on  the  States  website. (http://www.gov.je/PlanningEnvironment/Planning/Press+Releases/Mobile+Base+Stations+and+Masts.htm)

Mast Sharing

Every single planning application has been individually assessed in order to minimise its impact on visual amenity. It is a requirement of the Telecommunications Policy NR12 of the Island Plan 2002 that the possibility of sharing facilities is investigated at every opportunity. Indeed there are 19 installations where the companies have co-located on buildings or existing mast structures. Of the estimated total 150 installations some 80 are on existing buildings and structures. However, there are areas on the Island where there is no existing infrastructure, and in this instance each application submitted must demonstrate any other options that have been investigated to establish the installation, including site sharing opportunities. I have then made individual judgements as to what is the best solution in visual terms and I am satisfied the best balance has been achieved.

Consultation with Health and Social Services

As  well  as  implementing  the  Health  and  Social  Services' recommendations,  Health  and  Social  Services  is consulted on each application to verify the information submitted. For the application submitted and approved to date, Health and Social Services have raised no concerns. Following the commissioning of each installation, the applicant is required to carry out a post-commissioning test to verify the actual emissions at each site. Again, Health and Social Services are consulted on the post commissioning submissions – as required by condition attached to permissions – and no concerns have yet to be raised.

Since the initial concerns over the potential health impacts of the installations I have insisted my Officers work closely  with  Health  and  Social  Services  and  this  relationship  has  been  particularly  useful  in  assessing  the submissions in response to my invitation to Islanders to raise their concerns over health and telecommunication base stations.