Furious residents have hit out at their local council, alleging that a mast’s generator has impacted their sleep and even almost hospitalised one young asthma sufferer.
The ‘eyesore’ 25-metre mast used for emergency services was first erected with no warning on April 18 this year in the quiet residential area of Ivy Crescent in Slough.
Simon Cooksey, leading the campaign against the blight, claims a crane suddenly appeared and the mast went up – ‘without planning permission’ or ‘forewarning’.
He told MailOnline: ‘This crane appeared and within four hours it was erected. I was like “what on earth is that”.’
Another blind-sided homeowner approached workmen when the sky-high structure was first being installed and said they were ‘aggressive and dismissive’.
Locals have since claimed the large diesel generator fuelling the eyesore has plagued the area with noise and fumes.
They say that not only have their daily lives have been impacted by the towering TETRA mast but so too has the health of some living in the area.
Habans Jhalli, 52, said his son’s asthma was made increasingly worse by the fumes emitted from the generator, which was previously purely run on diesel.
Furious residents have hit out at their local council, alleging a mast’s generator has impacted their sleep and even almost hospitalised one young asthma sufferer
The ‘eyesore’ 25-metre mast used for emergency services was first erected with no warning on April 18 of this year in the quiet residential area of Ivy Crescent in Slough
Simon Cooksey, leading the campaign against the blight, claims a crane suddenly appeared and the mast went up – ‘without planning permission’ or ‘forewarning’ (Pictured: Residents of Ivy Crescent)
‘He suffers from asthma but not for years,’ he said: ‘Then suddenly when [the mast] went up with the generator his asthma got so bad we almost had to admit him to hospital.’
After months of talks and a petition which received over 300 signatures, residents were told the TETRA mast owned by Airwaves Solutions – a subsidiary of Motorola – could ‘soon’ be moved in October.
But last month Slough Borough Council refused to give the mast prior approval to be permanently placed on Bath Road – 1.2 miles away.
The council said they were ‘not able to make such a determination’ when it came to giving permission for the mast’s permanent placement.
It is understood that the council had issued an enforcement notice and instructed Airwaves Solutions to remove the mast.
However the company appealed at the last minute, which could buy them another year, before the final say is determined.
Residents are now becoming increasingly infuriated by the towering structure and are concerned for their welfare as a question mark remains as to when the blight will be moved once and for all.
Mr Jhalli added: ‘We are trying to do the best for out environment by our health, but it isn’t great at all.
Residents were told the TETRA mast owned by Airwaves Solutions – a subsidiary of Motorola – could ‘soon’ be moved in October
A question mark continues to remains over when the mast will be moved from Ivy Crescent, as locals fear its impacting house prices and their health
Habans Jhalli, 52, said his son’s asthma was made increasingly worse by the fumes emitted from the generator, which was previously purely run on diesel
‘It looks horrible as you drive in. They haven’t planned it very well. It hasn’t been great now my neighbour suffers with insomnia and struggles to sleep because of it.’
Another homeowner, 56, revealed the sounds of the generator had negatively impacted her husband’s sleep, and his overall wellbeing.
She said of her partner who is a distribution manager: ‘He has a very stressful job so sleep is very special to him. It’s affected his health.’
Mr Cooksey highlighted that the generator spewing diesel fumes was to the back of the properties and ‘pointing directly into [their] gardens.’
The environmental engineer said he had used VOC detectors – to measure particulates such as CO2 and other compounds in the air.
He alleged his measurements ‘went through the roof’, adding: ‘I’m not joking the levels were basically evacuate.
‘My partner can’t go outside when the diesel generator comes because it makes her feel ill – she’s even been to the doctors about it.’
‘The fumes seep inside the house and it stinks,’ he added
Residents claim an ex-neighbour was forced to lower his house price by around £30,000 due to the visual blight
Others have alleged their sleep is being impacted by the noise of the generator as well as the birds who lean on the towering structure
‘Its very annoying that we can’t enjoy out lovely garden. My wife is especially proud of it – she loves the garden.’
Although solar panels have since been installed to help power the mast, it continues to have a diesel generator as a back up which continues to affect locals.
‘When its running especially in the summer and its muggy it just pours into the garden you can’t go out its life living in a truck stop,’ he said.
‘I’m not interested in what it is. I am interested in when they are going to take it away.’
Others have been left concerned that the value of their homes – with some having lived there for decades – could fall after one ex-homeowner dropped his house price by around £30,000, which locals say was due to the TETRA mast.
Commenting on how his ex-neighbour had to drop the price of his home Mr Cooksey said: ‘Its like hello you’ve just put this [mast] up and now I’ve lost £20-£30k. Thanks.’
Salvina, 52, said: ‘Who would want to buy a house when you have that [pointing to the mast] in your back garden.
‘No matter where you are, whichever house you are in. You will see it somehow. It’s not nice to look at. Every time you are out in the garden its just there.’
She added: ‘They’re not dealing with it quick enough. It’s nearly been a year. Nobody knows who got it up how they got it up surely someone must have said yes.’
‘There’s loads of trading estates where that could have gone up and it wouldn’t have affected so much.
‘This is a residential area. It shouldn’t have been put up here in the first place.’
It is understood that the council had issued an enforcement notice and instructed Airwaves Solutions to remove the mast, but the company have since appealed
Narina Bais, 56, has been left concerned not only for the price of her home but what it will mean for her elderly mother’s health.
‘That was a big concern [hours prices dropping],’ she said.
‘They said it wouldn’t affect it but my neighbour did have to drop his house price I own my house so it is concerning.
‘I think its the health I am worried about and the fumes, I have an elderly mum, she’s 85 in January so I worry if there are fumes if it will affect her breathing.’
A Motorola Solutions spokesperson said: ‘This is a temporary mast, and we are working with the local council to confirm a new permanent site as soon as possible.
‘Airwave is the public safety communications network that connects the emergency services all day, every day, across the U.K.
‘It’s a vital service for which coverage is essential, and we are very keen to resolve this in a way that delivers this essential need while meeting the community’s needs as best as possible.’
MailOnline has approached Slough Borough Council for comment.
