A LANDMARK legal ruling on a phone mast in Chorleywood could provide an extra weapon for anti-mast campaigners if the decision is fed into Watford's planning guidelines.
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's decision to quash a successful appeal by Orange because a planning inspector failed to consider the health concerns of residents in Grove Way could have an impact on council decision-making across the UK.
Watford Council looks set to be one of the first councils to feed the decision into guidelines that will affect the way phone mast applications are determined.
Council officers have drawn up a carefully worded addition to the town's planning guidance on phone masts, which was unveiled by planning portfolio holder Andy Wylie at a meeting last week.
Councillor Wylie said the two paragraphs, which acknowledge health concerns can be a material planning consideration when determining applications, would give councillors more leeway when making decisions.
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