Campaigners angry over mobile phone mast

CAMPAIGNERS against plans for a huge phone mast next to their houses have reacted angrily after planners issued no objections to the plans.

The proposal for the 47ft Vodafone phone mast next to the Shell petrol station in New Road, Uttoxeter, now looks set to go ahead after East Staffordshire Borough Council gave the proposals its approval.

However, residents have been left fuming after writing letters and signing a petition against the plans even though they have now been told the plans went through delegated powers and their protests made no difference.

Gerry Hollis, who lives in The Meadows and will see the mast from his house, said the whole process had been ’a waste of time’ but said he will appeal against the decision.

He said: "It didn’t make any difference what we did because the mast is under 15 metres and in new government legislation that means it can go to delegated powers.

"There will be a lot of unhappy people around here. We had all gone to the trouble of sending letters and it was always not going to make bit of difference but we weren’t told that. When I saw the letter today I exploded. They made us believe that we could stop it."

Mr Hollis said he objects to the plans because he thinks they could quite easily go somewhere else.

He said: "It could go somewhere else where it wouldn’t upset people. It only has to go 500 metres up the A5O. It is just because it is on a bit of land which Shell wants to be used. It is out of order and we will appeal against it."