Pandering to anti-phonemast prejudice

Phone masts can look pretty awful. But so can electricity pylons. Sometimes, things that are really useful are an eyesore. But even when phone companies go to great lengths to hide the masts and base stations, they get accused of trying to deceive the public. Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

The Tories are now suggesting that all new phone masts should require full planning permission in future. This seems like a good way to slow down the roll out of new technologies even more. The length of time it has taken to get 3G up and running in the UK is bad enough as it is. Putting more red tape in the way, as a way of pandering to ill-informed health fears and NIMBYism (Not In My Back Yard) will only make things worse.

Tories urge new phone mast rules, BBC News