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To: Nicholas Jonathan Read, CEO of Vodafone Group

Stop the mast

Stop the installation of a mobile phone base station in an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) by signing this petition and lobbying Cornerstone, Vodafone and Stroud District Council.

Why is this important?

Planing permission for a base station in an AONB in Pitchcombe, Stroud, was refused by Stroud District Council in November 2017. However, planning permission for the permitted development was granted due to the fact that the council failed to notify the applicant within 56 days (the applicant was Cornerstone which is a subsidiary of Vodafone). Vodafone are now pressing for the 15m mast to be installed against the land owners wishes and that of local residents.

Within 50 metres of the site their is an ancient protected orchard, bee colonies, a badger set and many other varieties of flora and fauna.

Vodafone have stated that a 15m base station has a transmission radius of half a mile.
"Base stations are low powered devices which cover approximately half a mile in radius, therefore we have to put base stations close to our customers." - https://www.wellsvoice.co.uk/vodafone-new-phone-mast-proposal

However, 35 local residents (all within a half mile radius of the site) have signed letters stating that mobile phone coverage is not an issue and that they oppose an additional mast being installed in the vicinity.

Sadly, this situation is not new as there have been hundreds of cases whereby telecommunication companies have managed to get past planning regulations by using the 56 day loop hole. BBC article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4838152.stm

The silent rollout of additional masts, and the upgrade of existing masts to 5G by stealth, must not continue unchallenged. Furthermore the specific use of the 56 day loop hole raises important ethical issues.

Vodafone's mission statement is: "To provide products, services and solutions of the highest quality and deliver more value to our customers that earns their respect and loyalty."

Furthermore, Vodafone's sustainability strategy outlined on their website includes the following environmental commitment:

"Be responsible, ethical and honest in all our activities. We have robust policies and systems to ensure our employees behave responsibly and our suppliers adopt ethical practices." - https://www.vodafone.com/business/sustainability

Forcing the installation of a mobile phone mast onto land in an AONB against the wishes of the landowner and local residents is not ethical or honest, and it severely contradicts these statements!

We now need your support to raise awareness of this ongoing issue, and to challenge Vodafone to align their actions with their words, by withdrawing their intent to install the mast so as to prevent the unnecessary destruction of a truly unique natural environment.

How it will be delivered

Deliver them in person. However, they may need to be emailed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Stroud, UK

Maps © Stamen; Data © OSM and contributors, ODbL

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Updates

2020-09-06 16:53:02 +0100

Thank you so much for supporting this campaign and helping us pass 500 signatures!

It really is important that we keep the momentum going and so please continue to share and encourage others to sign the petition as it really is beginning to make a difference.

Local MP Siobhan Baillie has shared our campaign on her Facebook page and pressure is now mounting on Stroud District Council and the Secretary of State to take action.

Time is of the essence as we intend to present the petition to the CEO of Vodafone later this week and so the more signatures we can add the better our chances of being heard.

Best wishes
Nathan

2020-09-04 21:42:56 +0100

500 signatures reached

2020-08-31 14:32:30 +0100

100 signatures reached

2020-08-31 09:04:38 +0100

50 signatures reached

2020-08-30 20:15:31 +0100

25 signatures reached

2020-08-30 15:05:40 +0100

10 signatures reached