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Up and down the country a number of communities are campaigning against the positioning of phone masts in their local neighbourhoods.

Now, there's renewed controversy in Bexley where permission has been granted for a new Orange phone mast.

It's estimated that 84% of people in Britain use a mobile phone. With the desire for improved communications comes the need to offer an increased network coverage.

Earlier in the year the Government planning Inspector allowed the mobile phone operator to appeal against a decision by Bexley to block the new mast. Bexley Council's planning committee had originally refused the application back in 2007.

Now the mast, which Orange says is needed to replace another mast which was removed from Bedonwell Road, will go ahead.

'Dangerous position'

Cllr David Leaf claims the phone company has persisted with a number of applications in the Belvedere area. He says Orange have "always failed to provide evidence of their coverage requirements" and said it was "another sad day for local democracy."

The Conservative councillor for the Belvedere Ward criticised the Government Inspector for allowing the appeal and over ruling the decision by Bexley Council.

"Local people are outraged by this decision. The mast will be in a dangerous position and is out of character with the local area."

84% of Britons use a mobile

Independent third party review

In response to the criticism Martin Grey from Orange says the company is pleased by the "outcome of the independent third-party review by the Planning Inspectorate."

He added: "the science on this issue is reassuring.Μύ In the last eight years alone, over 30 independent expert reviews published in the UK and around the globe... have found no adverse health effects from mobile technologies."

Orange say the media watchdog, Ofcom, has undertaken more than 500 independent audits of phone mats.

But for some local residents it's an issue they won't give up on easily - with a letter being drafted to the Prime Minister himself.

YOUR VIEWS

"I agree that inspectors are an un-elected bureaucratic liability to democracy. Time and time again they come down on the side of big business at the expense of local people, it time they were all made redundant and replaced with elected inspectorate like local mayors, maybe then they will think before they go against the wishes of the people."

- Ken