Hi everyone,

Thank you for your incredible ongoing support for our campaign regarding the 5G mast (Ref: 24/00689/TGDO) next to Sketchley Hill Primary School. We have some important updates on our communications with our MP, Dr Luke Evans.

Update from Luke Evans MP & Cornerstone's Initial Response to Him:

Following our previous letters, Dr Evans kindly wrote to Cornerstone to raise our community's concerns and specifically asked them to halt activation of the mast pending a review. We've now received a copy of Cornerstone's response to Dr Evans (via his letter to us dated May 23, 2025).

In summary, Cornerstone's response to Dr Evans stated:

They consulted with Sketchley Hill Primary School in June 2024 (during term time) and believe they "addressed the queries raised."
They considered 11 alternative sites before choosing this one, deeming it "critical" for service provision.
They believe their actions follow "industry best practice consultation, and compliance with planning and regulatory frameworks."
They offered a potential radiowave signal survey at the school.
Notably, Cornerstone's response to Dr Evans did not address our main complaint about Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council's (HBBC) official public consultation being held entirely during the school summer holidays. It also didn't seem to include the same details about tree work permissions that they sent directly to us earlier.
Our Comprehensive Follow-Up to Luke Evans MP:

We have now sent a detailed follow-up letter to Dr Evans, thanking him for his support and asking him to press Cornerstone and HBBC further, armed with all the evidence we have now gathered. Our letter highlighted:

HBBC's Critical Error: We provided irrefutable proof (Burbage Parish Council June 24th, 2024 minutes vs. HBBC's own Delegated Report) that HBBC incorrectly stated Burbage Parish Council had "no objection" when, in fact, they formally OBJECTED on grounds of proximity to the school and parking.

School's Unaddressed Concerns: We pointed out that Cornerstone's own pre-application report details Sketchley Primary's specific practical concerns (path congestion, request for relocation), which we believe were dismissively handled by Cornerstone and subsequently unacknowledged by HBBC.

Flawed Site Selection Justification: We critiqued Cornerstone's reasons for rejecting alternative sites, noting inconsistencies (e.g., rejecting other sites for "proximity to residential dwellings" or "tree/ICNIRP issues" while choosing a site directly next to our school, its outdoor classroom, and its TPO-protected trees).

Direct Impact on School: We re-emphasised the mast's location within 10 metres of the school's new outdoor classroom foundations and developing Forest School (on school-owned land), and the presence of TPO 17/00025/TPORD specifically for trees at the school.

Historical Precedent: We informed him of HBBC's 2011 refusal of a similar mast (11/00096/GDOT), where Burbage Parish Council also objected, citing (among other things) proximity of less than 800m to Sketchley Hill School – a stark contrast to the current situation.

Ongoing Concerns: We reiterated our concerns about children's rights to a safe learning environment, the mast's current operational status (is it on?), and the school's lack of independent monitoring equipment despite Cornerstone's survey offer.

What We've Asked Luke Evans MP to Do: We've urged him to confront HBBC with the evidence of their errors, to continue pressing Cornerstone for a genuine review based on these flawed foundations, and to seek clarity on the mast's operational status and monitoring.

What This Means: The evidence trail is becoming clearer and strongly indicates that the prior approval for this mast was based on flawed information and an inadequate consultation process. Your support is vital as we continue to pursue our Stage 2 complaint with HBBC and engage with our MP.

Please continue to:

Share the petition:  – We currently have 433 signatures and every single one helps!
Stay updated: Via our Facebook Group burbage community action - Sketchley hill mast.
Talk to your neighbours and friends: Raise awareness of the issues.
We are determined to ensure a fair process and protect our school's environment. Thank you for standing with us!

In solidarity,

Sarah