I WOULD like to thank the councillors on the east area planning and transport committee for listening to the residents of Fulford in deciding to reject the application from T-mobile for a phone mast at the junction of Heslington Lane and Broadway, and instead approving a site slightly further away from people's houses.

York Green Party has been supporting residents in this battle since the beginning in 2001, and sincerely hope that the plan to create a landscaped area bordering the roundabout can now go ahead as quickly as possible. It was because our councillor on the committee Andy D'Agorne had been working with residents on the issue over the last four years that he was not allowed to speak at or be a part of the committee during this decision.

York Green Party will be pressing City of York Council to follow the example of Basingstoke Council where a proactive approach is taken to this contentious issue.

In Basingstoke annual negotiations with the phone companies lead to the regular involvement of the local community in pre-application discussions.

While under planning law councillors are not supposed to consider the health concerns of nearby residents, pre application discussions can often identify common sense solutions acceptable to all parties.

Denise Craghill,

York Green Party,

Broadway West,

York.

Updated: 10:37 Tuesday, July 26, 2005