Sir, - It is hard to believe the Government allows mobile phone companies to erect masts that emit up to ten times more radiation than those in other countries.

When it comes to health and safety matters in this country we always seem to put profit first. Surely there have been enough cases of residents falling ill to force a tightening up of rules and regulations. Mobile phone companies should be made to site masts well away from homes, schools and busy working places.

This week the Yorkshire Dales National Park met to consider a planning application for a mobile phone mast, antenna and dish for Orange and BT on the Brunt Areas Industrial Estate at Hawes, on which 30 people work.

We also have the proposed Vodaphone masts on St Margaret's Church in Hawes, which the national park initial refused permission but later change its mind and approved it.

I remind readers that there were 327 signatories on a petition against masts being sited in the town, that is one third of the population of Hawes. Now we have the news that a new planning application is soon to be submitted for a major phone mast capable of accepting all service providers, antennas and dishes on the fell-side above Hawes. This would solve all our problems and everyone would be happy with the result. This is all we are asking.

We want our children and grandchildren to grow up in the safest, happiest and healthiest environment we can give them. Hawes has hundreds of acres of fell-side that is unpopulated so we have the choice that many places do not.

Please would the powers that be - Father Bill and the Hawes Parochial Church Council, Vodaphone, Orange and the National Park - look into your hearts and show you care for our local community.

JUDY FAWCETT

Curlew Cottage,

Hawes.

Castle car park

Sir, - We are informed that Richmond is a fine Georgian town. In reality it is full of concrete and cars.

Well over 20 years ago, it was suggested that vehicles make use of the huge space available within the castle. That area can only be seen from Sleegill and could double the capacity available in the town.

Perhaps North Yorkshire County Council should consult English Heritage on this proposal and cancel the hotch-potch plan of the Richmond traffic management strategy - a plan that is far too expensive.

GEORGE HAYES

Maison Dieu,

Richmond.

Steaming on

Sir, - You may have heard the good news, that Richmondshire District Council resources committee gave its unanimous endorsement to the idea of putting Richmond Station into charitable trust management.

The committee is encouraging us to go ahead with a professionally-conducted feasibility study to ascertain the most appropriate uses for the building.

We would like to extend a big thank you to the members of the 500 or so households who filled in the Friends of Richmond Station forms we sent out recently and the donations and pledges of financial support that were included.

We especially appreciated 100 of you turning out on a slippery, cold evening to attend the committee meeting at which we made our case for the Richmond Station Building Preservation Trust. It was unprecedented to have such a big public presence at a council committee meeting.

The public support for this idea has been formative in influencing the council to come on board the trust line.

SUE HOLDEN

On behalf of Friends of Richmond Station Committee

Station Cottages,

Richmond.

If only

Sir, - Many of your readers who can recall Middlesbrough before the planners got their hands on it, must have read of the appointment of a conservation officer to help preserve Middlesbrough's Victorian buildings (D&S, Jan 10) with a sense of despair.

"If only" are the words that come to mind.

If only the same sympathetic approach had been taken when the town's piecemeal development was first muted in the seventies.

If only planning restrictions had been imposed on the change of use for these superb buildings, by insisting they be used for purposes other than young people's drinking clubs.

If only someone with a little vision had proposed a new route for the offensive Berlin Wall carrying the A66 across town, instead of condoning the visual isolation of the Queen's Square area.

If only those councillors responsible for the demolition of the superb Royal Exchange building had been run out of town before they could agree to the razing of this gothic masterpiece; an act of such outrageous vandalism that those responsible should still be serving community service alongside our present day delinquents.

The announcement by Coun Ron Lowes that the £.75m lottery grant will cover essential repairs to those Victorian buildings still standing, is welcome news. I wonder if he might also persuade the same organisation to fund the demolition of that hideous multi- storey monument to modern architecture that dwarfs the Town Hall, thus enabling Middlesbrough's most impressive Victorian building to be seen, and appreciated in its original setting.

PETER COOK

The Holme,

Great Broughton.

Second rate

Sir - I refer to the report about Leyburn's new medical centre (D&S, Jan 10). It will result in second-rate medical facilities for our community. We needed a larger site because the majority of people will come by car.

There is also a planning application pending for ten dwellings and garages at 20 Bellerby Road, Leyburn.

This is a town centre site and would have been ideal for a medical centre with the scope to expand. It was known to some councillors and it was certainly known to the planning authority, yet the authority withheld this information from the meeting which dealt with the medical centre application.

Whilst it is not for the planning authority to interfere in other commercial activities, they should nonetheless have made a statement on the availability of land.

The real motivation behind the loss of our tennis courts is financial greed and profit and has nothing to do with the good of our community. To suggest there is no better site available has been shown to be untrue. In our submission we drew attention to land which is in a more central position.

G KANE

Chairman, Brentwood Area Residents' Association,

Leyburn.

Such a waste

Sir, - Catching up during the festive season, it warmed the cockles to read the leading article about regional government (D&S, Nov 22). It was spot on.

I worked in education in Hartlepool during the 1970s and experienced the utter confusion and laying waste of years of solid educational foundations caused by the comprehensive system.

I also saw the removal of small, efficient, customer-friendly, council offices when Cleveland County incorporated too many out-lying towns.

Now the damage being wrought by unitary authorities is partially being rectified by 'quasi' town councils.

It seems a scandal that historic towns like Yarm and Thornaby should disappear from the political map. Surely an anomaly easily rectified by a democratic government.

C DAVISON

Cheviot Crescent,

Billingham