What consideration has the Cabinet Secretary given to amending current planning guidance and regulations to take into account the latest evidence on the impact of mobile telephone masts on public health?
Planning Policy Wales Chapter 12 Infrastructure deals with telecommunications, and includes advice regarding public health implications of telecommunications development. Whilst matters relating to public health are continually monitored by the Welsh Government, I am not aware of any new evidence in this respect which would suggest a change in planning guidance on telecommunications is required.
The Welsh Government is advised by Public Health England (PHE) in relation to the protection of communities from exposure to radiofrequencies and electromagnetic fields. PHE advises that exposures to electromagnetic fields should comply with the guidelines on limiting such exposure published by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). In addition, PHE keeps emerging scientific studies worldwide under review and publishes comprehensive reviews of the evidence from time to time.
The most recent comprehensive review of the potential health effect of radio waves was carried out by the Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation (AGNIR), an independent advisory group reporting to PHE. The group’s report which was published in April 2012 concludes ‘although a substantial amount of research has been conducted in this area, there is no convincing evidence radio wave exposures below guideline levels cause health effects in either adults or children. ’ The AGNIR review includes a summary of several thousand measurements of public exposure levels which have been made by Ofcom near to mobile phone masts. The maximum exposure found at any location was hundreds of times below the ICNIRP guideline levels, and typical exposures were lower still.
The Code of Practice on Mobile Phone Network Development states all sites must be designed to comply with national health and safety legislation and compliance with the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) public exposure guidelines. All new base stations are expected to meet the ICNIRP guidelines.
Planning Policy Wales and Technical Advice Note 19: Telecommunications give details on the process of consultation which should take place between the mobile operator and a body potentially affected by the installation of a mobile telephone mast through the planning system. It also gives guidance on how this evidence should be considered by Planning Authorities.
Health considerations can be material when determining applications for planning permission or prior approval, as can public concerns in relation to such effects. Whether such matters are material is ultimately a matter for the courts, as it is for the decision-maker to determine what weight to attach to such considerations in any particular case.