Cornerstone wants to erect a 70ft comms mast on a patch of public open space
An Addiscombe councillor has stepped in to try to protect the local environment by demanding “Not In Our Back Yard” over proposals to build a massive 5G telecommunications mast on a patch of public green space.
Jerry Fitzpatrick, the veteran councillor for Addiscombe West, has flagged up the proposals from infrastructure company Cornerstone which threatens to destroy trees and build over the green space to make way for their mast.
One tree under threat was planted recently as a memorial to a much-admired local, “the Running Lady of Addiscombe”.
Residents in the area received a letter from Cornerstone earlier this week.
They want to submit a planning application to erect a radio base station on the grass planted area outside 71 Addiscombe Road, not far from the Lebanon Road tram stop.
Jerry Fitzpatrick: flagging up the pole
This would involve the installation of a monopole nearly 70-feet high, supporting six antennae, plus a cabinet and ancillary works. Cornerstone state that this would provide the neighbourhood with improved 3G, 4G and 5G mobile phone coverage.
In a message to residents, the councillor wrote, “This grass planted area is home to a variety of wildlife which contributes valuably to biodiversity in our community.
“It is home to the tree which the community planted in 2017 in memory of Joan Pick, the remarkable Park Hill resident who for the last 45 years of her life did not use – either in her home or as a form of travel – any carbon-depleting form of energy, and was recognisable to all as ‘the running lady’ because she literally ran to and from her every destination.”
Councillor Fitzpatrick encourages residents to email michael.griffin@waldontelecom.com, who is seeking to take into account public opinion before making an application to erect the mast. There is a June 28 deadline for submissions.
“If Cornerstone choose to submit an application, I shall of course inform local residents as soon as I can of this threat to our green space so that you can make your views clear to the planning authority,” Fitzpatrick writes.
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Joan was an amazing woman who understood very early on the damage that humans were doing to the planet.
I was lucky enough to attend the tree planting and added some of the Croydon Crocuses from the project where thousands were grown when Taberner House was demolished. We should learn from Joan’s example and change our destructive lifestyles.
We don’t need 5G, we will survive just fine without it. You might find that we do however need insects to pollinate our food and trees to produce oxygen to breathe …..
Building a huge mast at that location is a stupid idea. Stick it on top of the nearest tall structure instead. The hideous twin towers of 101 George Street could be put to good use, and up there, nobody would really notice or care.