I just noticed a new large ugly mobile mast has been erected at Banner Cross. The way it's situated in front of the old bank building at the junction of Ecclesall Road and Psalter Lane makes it really stand out in an ugly kind of way.

There's a sign taped to it from the phone company asking for any objections to be sent to O2 and gives their address.

Is this the normal way round, that they put a mast up and then see if anyone objects?

well if they needed planning permission they would have sought that first, not sure if they do need permission for masts, im sure somebody on here will know.

This sign from O2 will be for general complaints that these masts attract

This sign from O2 will be for general complaints that these masts attract

Which I expect they will probably ignore.

I may be wrong, and wait to be corrected, If I remember correctly they get planning permission by default.

They notify the council of intent, and if the council don't object within 28 days they have planning permission by default.

Many masts go up because the council planning process is too slow to respond quickly enough.

I thought they needed something like a broadcasting licence?

This was a huge issue when mobiles first became commonplace - the railway used to have one as a signal booster on large sites and the police used to borrow them on a regular basis, but they came under scrutiny as part of the same excercise

A mast will require plannng permission, if it's above a certain height. I cannot remember what it was . You will therefore find, most masts, are under the limit by a few centimetres, that is why they suddenly spring up.

I noticed them erecting this on Sunday and thinking the residents association would be having a fit!

It's the scale and positioning of the thing I don't like.

i remember there were a lot of protests about the one at Berkeley precinct on Ecclesall road going up last summer. I wonder how this one just appeared out of nowhere?

http://libplugins.sheffield.gov.uk/planning/details.asp?id=25533

A mast really pushes the limit for you does it? i can't remember the last item I saw a thread on here complaining about litter or dead hedgehogs littered about the roads everywhere. I mean, come one, the masts are put up for our benefit at the end of it all. All we have to do is put up with something that resembles a lamp post and we get a decent reception on our Mobile Devices, which many of us rely heavily on these days.

I bet you wouldn't have been even slightly bothered if the whacked a great big dirty lamp post up there instead.

You'll be thankful it's there the next time you are away and you need to make an important phone call or send an SMS but can't connect to anywhere because of a low signal.

A mast really pushes the limit for you does it? i can't remember the last item I saw a thread on here complaining about litter or dead hedgehogs littered about the roads everywhere. I mean, come one, the masts are put up for our benefit at the end of it all. All we have to do is put up with something that resembles a lamp post and we get a decent reception on our Mobile Devices, which many of us rely heavily on these days.

I bet you wouldn't have been even slightly bothered if the whacked a great big dirty lamp post up there instead.

You'll be thankful it's there the next time you are away and you need to make an important phone call or send an SMS but can't connect to anywhere because of a low signal.

Have you actually seen the mast??

I think there could have been a less intrusive construction put up to do the same job.

Have you actually seen the mast??

I think there could have been a less intrusive construction put up to do the same job.
I was under the impression that it was just like any other mast?
In for pics.

it was always on the cards after all of the protests about the Tesco Precinct objections

There's a story in the Sunday Times today about proven cancer clusters round mobile phone masts. O2 who just put up the one at Banner Cross are removing one of their masts that caused a cluster.

There's a story in the Sunday Times today about proven cancer clusters round mobile phone masts. O2 who just put up the one at Banner Cross are removing one of their masts that caused a cluster.

This so-called 'research' is by a Dr. John Walker, an ex-Dunlop boffin - spent his time researching the causes of defects in tyres. No known formal medical/electronic experience - does not understand such issues and is not qualified to speak on such matters. There are similar cancer clusters around post boxes and bus stops! It's purely random. Look hard enough in random data and you'll find a pattern. That's all he's done. Proves nothing. Bad research!

This so-called 'research' is by a Dr. John Walker, an ex-Dunlop boffin - spent his time researching the causes of defects in tyres. No known formal medical/electronic experience - does not understand such issues and is not qualified to speak on such matters. There are similar cancer clusters around post boxes and bus stops! It's purely random. Look hard enough in random data and you'll find a pattern. That's all he's done. Proves nothing. Bad research!
Agreed.
We would have to be under the influence of radiation form Phone masts for hundreds of years before Cancer cells started to reproduce in our bodies.

People complain about phone masts because of this yet still drive cars and I'm betting they use Microwaves too. It may seem like a bit of a shock to some of these people but Microwaves are powered by Microwaves of Radiation! :O

Agreed.
We would have to be under the influence of radiation form Phone masts for hundreds of years before Cancer cells started to reproduce in our bodies.

People complain about phone masts because of this yet still drive cars and I'm betting they use Microwaves too. It may seem like a bit of a shock to some of these people but Microwaves are powered by Microwaves of Radiation! :O

Here Here!!! It really gets my back up when people complain about masts, but i bet the majority have a mobile phone!

I walked past there yesterday and didn't notice a mast! I must be getting old....

I walked past there yesterday and didn't notice a mast! I must be getting old....

Glad you said that beanpod, I've been past several times since the original post and haven't noticed one!

Glad you said that beanpod, I've been past several times since the original post and haven't noticed one!

That's because you're not 'electro-sensitive'. If you were, you would have seen it immediately! Apparently, electro-sensitive people can 'see' radio waves emanating from radio masts, like a sort of glowing fuzziness. I'm told that some of them hear voices as well...

I dont have or want a mobile so you lot can stick your masts where there is little day light for me.

I dont have or want a mobile so you lot can stick your masts where there is little day light for me.

What about the radiation from your computer? Doesn't that scare you? Lots of 'electrosmog' comes from computers you know, and there's the magnetic fields from the power supply - don't forget that! ;o)