Hang on!  It's on wheels.. so it's mobile

A UK radio amateur who thought he had found a novel way around local planning restrictions, is facing challenges from his neighbours. This, over a 60 foot high telescoping tower, complete with rotor and tri-band antenna, mounted on a vehicle parked on his property.

Robert Dodson, G4RNK, is fighting calls to remove the tower that nests down to 27 feet from his back garden despite complaints from neighbours.

Dodson claims he has not breached neighbourhood planning regulations because the entire antenna system is mounted on a trailer.

Dodson was served an enforcement notice for its removal after he erected it without permission last September.

At a planning inquiry on Wednesday, July 29th, Michael Matthews who is a lawyer representing Dodson, outlined his grounds for appeal while senior enforcement officer Jamie Cooper upheld the authority’s position.

Both parties thrashed out legal issues surrounding the tower and argued whether it is a temporary or permanent structure, which would determine if it needed planning permission.

Also present at the hearing were several neighbours who called the mast an ‘eyesore’ and claimed it interfered with their TV, radio and telephone signals.

In rebuttal, Dodson said the entire installation had twice been tested and approved by UK telecommunications regulator Ofcom.

A decision is expected to be made within the next month.

Source: ARNewsline, eHam.net