Member of the Resident Association of the Aurora building in Stratford, tenants and leaseholders of the said building would like to oppose the proposal to install electronic communications apparatus on 245 High Street Stratford London E15 2LSabove for the reasons stated below,

1. Multiple Breach of the Public Consultation Process.

Some of the residents were consulted on the 26th of September 2024 (see attachment) by Waldon Telecom, with everyone objecting to the plans. Circa 30 emails with objections were sent to Ms Georgia Palanga from Waldon Telecom (WT), yet none of them were acknowledged and none of the concerns addressed despite that a planning application was filled with Newham council on the 10th of October.

WT failed to Include all relevant parties as some tenants and the non-residing leaseholders didn’t receive the 26th of September consultation letter.

WT Response to Feedback was inadequate as our comments, questions or objections were not addressed.

WT consultation process wasn’t transparent. The information provided was insufficient for recipients of the letter to fully understand the proposal. For example: The reason the building was selected. The reason the existing site was no longer accessible by the operators…ect..Please note that the address used for the application refers to a commercial premise situated on the ground floor of the building, which coincidentally happens to be a medical centre. The building in question has commercial premises on the ground floor but is mainly made of 173 flats so the building hosts a few hundred residents who will be directly affected by the proposal.

WT consultation didn’t allow the mandatory 21 days as the letter was sent on the 26th of September and the application filed on the 10th of October.

2. Building Safety Act 2022

The legal and regulatory significance of our building being classified as a High Risk Building by the BSR have been completely ignored. We have not been allowed involvement, or been provided with any information or assessments regarding the impact on the structure, fire, services, noise, roof penetrations and wind loads. Nor have we seen a Safety Case Report that takes into account the proposals.

This is a legal right for leaseholders which has not been satisfied, although it’s been requested.

Additionally, the proposals are notifiable to the BSR as they affect all of the above and would add additional loads to the structure. The leaseholders have the right to be part of such decisions that affect the building in that way as per the BSA 2022 - which has not happened. The claim that WT have made that they can initiate installation in 28 days is incorrect and illegal, as the BSR would have to be notified, a Gateway 2 submission to be made and approved.

The lack of any evidence, assessment certificates (which need to be displayed in a public space) or method statements, would yield the proposal illegal, and would not be backed up by the Building Safety Regulator to whom we will resort if you take those plans further.

The Building Safety Act 2022 has rightfully introduced more stringent regulations for HRBs like ours. For our safety and for the building's robustness we object to any works that will significantly compromise its integrity - like this one.

3. The residents have already gone through the tiring process of extensive works to the building that lasted for almost three years (until July '24), significantly impacting their well-being, day to day life and finances, still disputing errors, overcharges, miss-management and defects. We will not accept any other works to take place to the building, particularly when those have no positive impact to the building or the residents.

4. The installation would be contrary to the Council's Development Management Policy which set out that the design of telecommunications apparatus should be such to minimise its size or visibility. Considering the low height of the building in comparison to all surrounding developments, as well as the fact that the roof of 245 High Street is visible from the High street - both from the Stratford station side and Greenway side - the installation would have a harmful visual impact on the surrounding due to its size, height, arrangement and industrial appearance.
This will not only visually harm the High Street and all efforts to create an inviting area for residents, but will significantly impact the value of our properties and particularly the ones on the upper floors of 245 High Street Stratford. The antennas will not only be an eye-sore at street level, but from the balconies of all surrounding buildings too.

The high street is full of residential developments and as such antennas are not in keeping with the character of the area.

5. Other more suitable sites for the installation are available within proximity and without a detrimental visual impact to the area eg commercial units and much taller buildings.

6. Some residents have raised their concerns regarding exposure and long-term health implications. The above concern can significantly impact residents' mental well-being. The installation of telecom antennas can raise significant health and safety concerns for residents. The potential exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) is a matter of public concern, and it is crucial that any installation complies with the guidelines set by Public Health England and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). Waldon Telecom didn't provide any evidence of compliance with these standards.

7. Lease Agreement Provisions: The terms of our lease agreement stipulate that any alterations or additions to the building must be approved by the leaseholders and freeholder. We have not been consulted or given consent for this installation, which is a breach of the lease agreement.

To summarise, the proposed telecommunications equipment by reason of its siting and appearance, would appear as an unduly visible and incongruous addition to the building that would fail to respond to the appearance of the building and surrounding area and would significantly impact the quality of life of residents as well as the value of our properties. We would like to highlight that as residents of the Aurora Estate (245 High Street Stratford London E15 2LS) and as members of the residents association, we will do anything to stop any such works from taking place to our building, so we ask you to please withdraw your proposals and seek alternative routes in other suitable properties.