People living in a well populated area of Swansea where a 5G mast could soon be installed have come together to show their opposition to the plans, with long time residents asking the question: "Why us?"
In a sign of opposition, they gathered for a silent protest on the afternoon of Tuesday, January 10, ahead of a site visit being carried out by the council's planning department. Placards were waved with slogans such as: 'Would you like a 5G mast outside your home?' 'Please council reject', 'No 5G harmful to life' and 'No 5G'. Get Swansea stories straight to your inbox with our newsletter.
Kay Richards and her husband Derek were among those present. They have lived in Pentregethin Road, Cwmbwrla, for 52 years. Together with many of their neighbours, they are fiercely against the plans, lodged by CK Hutchinson Networks, and have asked Swansea Council's planning committee to consider their wellbeing and health and to oppose the bid. They organised a petition which was then presented to the council at their main offices.
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5G technology is aimed at delivering faster mobile internet than what is available with the current 4G signal. It uses higher frequency waves allowing more devices to have access to the internet at the same time and at faster speeds. But the waves travel shorter distances through urban spaces, so 5G networks require more transmitter masts, closer to ground level.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has considered 5G technology and any potential health risks linked to it. In 2020 it produced a Q&A on 5G technologies which stated: "To date, and after much research performed, no adverse health effect has been causally linked with exposure to wireless technologies. Health-related conclusions are drawn from studies performed across the entire radio spectrum but, so far, only a few studies have been carried out at the frequencies to be used by 5G.
"Tissue heating is the main mechanism of interaction between radiofrequency fields and the human body. Radiofrequency exposure levels from current technologies result in negligible temperature rise in the human body. As the frequency increases, there is less penetration into the body tissues and absorption of the energy becomes more confined to the surface of the body (skin and eye). Provided that the overall exposure remains below international guidelines, no consequences for public health are anticipated."
But, if given the go ahead, Mrs Richards explained how the Cwmbwrla mast and its furniture would be erected less than 5m from her home. She said: "We have got enough to contend with with, the noise on the main road - there's been a few accidents, the traffic is up and down, there's deliveries to the shop, and now they want to do this. It is so close, that any accidents and the mast would be through my house. It is going to devalue our property forever, we've lived here 52 years and we've worked hard for what we've got."
Another resident, who asked not to be named, said: "It is very unfair. We've already got all the traffic waking up people in the middle of the night, and people don't want to be sat in their garden looking at that. There's plenty of open space around here. Why us?"
Councillor for the area, Chris Holley said: "We're not opposed to a mast being put in the Cwmbwrla area, but when you look at where other masts in Swansea are situated, none of them are anywhere near this close to residential property which is proposed here. We're not arguing with there being one, but it should not be so close to where people live."
Planning documents read: "CK Hutchison Networks (UK) is in the process of supporting the UK Government’s Digital connectivity objective and providing a critical role in building the UK’s fastest mobile network to provide improved coverage and capacity, most notably in relation to 5G services.
"The very nature of installing new 5G mast infrastructure within such an urban setting requires a highly considered balance between the need to extend practical coverage reach with that of increasing risk of visual amenity intrusion. In this location, existing mast sites are not capable of supporting additional equipment compliment to extend coverage reach across the target area and prospective ‘in-fill’ mast sites are extremely limited. There is an acute need for a new base station to provide effective service coverage and in this case, the height of the proposed street pole is the minimum required to bring the benefits of 5G to this area."
Swansea Council's planning department is considering the application.
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