Politician Resigns Over Mobile Phone Tower Planning Mistakes

A mess up over the planning application for a mobile phone tower on the outskirts of London, UK has caused a local politician to resign in protest. Peter McMillan, a member of the centre-right Conservative Party sent a resignation letter to council leader Di Collins following the failure to block the construction of a tower by O2 due to mistakes in the planning process.

According to a local newspaper, Mr McMillan's letter said: "The mast has gone from bad to worse and one year later it has not moved on at all. I blame you (Mrs Collins) for this. "We still have not discussed the matter with O2 nor do we know what implementing a continuance order would cost."

"If we had arranged a meeting with O2 a year ago we may have been able to prevent this mess. You also went along with the ridiculous notion that compensation should be paid only to those who had complained in writing, not those who had telephoned to complain nor those who were most affected because they lived closest. You see this is why I believe the residents deserve better."

The 02 mobile phone mast was put up at the corner of Honey Lane and Stonyshotts in Waltham Abbey.

On the web: Local Guardian - Google Map of the tower location

Posted to the site on 4th March 2008