In order to stop the mast on Connaught Road, residents are coming together to start the legal challenge. We can't do this alone so need your help to contribute to get things off the ground. 

Local residents of Leytonstone are trying raise the funds to cover the legal prospects costs to determine whether we have the legal grounds to challenge the installation of a 12.5 metre high Telefonica Ltd telecommunications mast in a residential area.

Refused twice by the council, but won on appeal at the Planning Inspectorate, Telefonica Ltd can put up the mast ANY DAY NOW!

Background to the case

It is a 12.5m mast, which is over 3 TIMES THE HEIGHT OF A STREET LIGHT,  will be located next to the highway wall dividing Connaught Road from the A12 on a footpath and cycle lane. The associated cabinet will be located in a flower bed next to the wall.

The council and many of your local neighbours have been fighting against this for the last 2 years. Telefonica Ltd has established that there is a need for the Mast, but we are strongly challenging the location for the below reasons:

Potential radiation exposure risks are a serious concern to an area populated by many families with young children, as well as home to Connaught Girls Grammar School. It is located on a busy foot/cycle path, which is used by residents and students daily - walking/cycling to and from the station, Leytonstone town centre and school sites. We simply do not know what long term exposure to this type of radiation may cause. 

This particular area of Connaught Road is a well-known to residents, police and the council as site for anti-social behaviour: drinking, drug-taking, urinating, fly-tipping and dumping of industrial waste. In addition to it being a thoroughfare, this area suffers from insufficient upkeep by the council. People do not treat areas with respect if they are not developed and nurtured in the first instance. We therefore, do not see how the presence of this extremely tall and unsightly mast and associated cabinet would not attract further attention and be more inviting to individuals wanting to partake in antisocial and destructive behaviour. Highways has also considered the position of the cabinet to be unacceptable on safety grounds because it would 'allow people to mount the adjacent wall and allow access onto the A12'.

Legal Challenge

The law firm is Richard Buxton Environmental and Public Law based in Cambridge. The first step is to seek advice from the barrister on our legal prospects in quashing the inspectorate's decision.