'Health scare' mobile masts face Tory crackdown

The Conservative Party has announced plans to impose strict measures controlling the placement of mobile phone masts - and took the opportunity to use the issue as a political stick with which to beat the current government.

The controversial placement of mobile phone masts has run a gauntlet of public disapproval in recent years, being linked to health scares as well as being savaged on aesthetic and environmental grounds - despite oft-lampooned attempts to disguise them as trees or in church steeples.

Under Tory guidelines, which the party claims will "champion the interests of local residents", councillors will have new powers to consider health issues and the local population when reviewing mast applications. Proximity of schools, housing and hospitals would all become factors that carry more weighting than they do at present.

According to the Conservatives, the Labour government has repeatedly broken its promise to "do everything [they] can to ensure there are no more phone masts near schools and hospitals".

Caroline Spelman, shadow local and devolved government secretary, said in a statement: "The erection of poorly located masts is causing considerable disquiet in many parts of the country. There is a presumption in favour of development inherent in the current planning system, which overrides local, environmental and safety concerns."

Spelman cited the case of Birmingham Hodge Hill as being one area of the country where Labour has failed to protect vulnerable citizens from an increase in controversial masts.

"The Labour Government have failed to support Private Members Bills in Parliament or change planning laws to back up their pledges," said Spelman. "Ahead of the general election, we will ensure that Labour will pay for their dishonesty - at the ballot box."