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U-turn gives victory to anti-mast campaigners
Ben McPartland
CAMPAIGNERS in West Hampstead are calling a victory in the battle against mobile phone masts.
Residents and traders in Iverson Road are celebrating after a business pulled out of a deal to put up a mobile phone mast.
Bosses at Iverson Tyres say their surprise decision - which came as the foundations were being dug for the O2 mast - was taken because they do not want to anger loyal customers.
Managing director David Gardner said: "We had overlooked the tremendous support that the local community has shown us over the years and feel it is important to show our support in return.
"We have a very strong customer base in the immediate vicinity going back 15 years.
"The community, our customers of all generations, have consistently advertised on our behalf the excellent service that we provide and we are grateful to them for that."
Tensions on Iverson Road have been fraught ever since residents found out the O2 company wanted to install the 15metre mast on their doorsteps.
In June scuffles broke out in Iverson Tyres' offices when protestors tried to deliver a 250 signature petition to Mr Gardner.
The group claimed the mast would be a blot on the landscape. And there were also health concerns over increased radiation levels.
O2 would have been the third telecom giant to have a mast on the street after Vodafone and Orange.
Resident Steven Jones said: "This is a message of hope for all those who think that just because the council has given planning permission that there is no point in carrying on with a campaign.
"Local people continued their battle to present David Gardner with their views and here you have the result. We applaud Mr Gardner for heeding our views and thank him for showing this consideration for our community."
Another protestor Roger Tavener, owner of C Tavener & Son builders withdrew his business from Iverson Tyres when he heard news of the planned mast.
He said: "If this is official then we will end the boycott and continue to use Iverson Tyres. We were a good customer to them. I am very happy to hear the news."
But O2, which was shocked to hear of the turnaround, has promised not to give up.
Spokesman James Stevenson said: "We will go and see them and find out the reason why they have backed out on the agreement.
"We will try to talk to them about how safe the mobile phone stations are and how they cause no health and safety problems for residents. They had already started putting it in."
ben.mcpartland@hamhigh.co.uk
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