Phone mast given go ahead in south Shropshire village

Vodaphone and O2 had applied to Shropshire Council for permission to set up a 15 metre tall telecommunications mast at the Severn Trent Water pumping station at The Moors in Diddlebury.

While it was recognised that there was a real need for improved connectivity in the area, many residents, as well as members of Diddlebury Parish Council, were concerned about increased traffic, additional noise and impact on the health of children living close by and those who attend the local school.

The Corvedale area between Craven Arms and Bridgnorth is notorious for poor, patchy or non-existent mobile signal, hence the need for the mast.

At a meeting of the council's South Planning Committee, which met at the Shirehall, David Hedgley, chairman of Diddlebury Parish Council, said the parish council had not been approached by the telecommunications company for its opinion and that the company had not explored other viable sites. He also questioned the wisdom of siting a tall mast close to the village school.

Councillor Cecilia Motley said she had been told by a number of residents of their serious concerns with regard to the number of young children who live in the area and the serious health implications of such a mast.

She told the meeting: "It is a question of the location. The Moors was a preferred site. One other was on a local farm and on land in and around the village. Neither of these were approached by the company."

Chris Taylor, agent for the applicant, said that the siting of the mast was 'constrained by topography' and that the mast needed to be sited in the village so as to reach more properties.

He added: "There has been considerable pressure from the public, media and politicians to improve connectivity in Shropshire."

He said that other sites had been identified as possible locations for the mast, but the one at The Moors, where infrastructure for the pumping station was already in place, was the most 'feasible'. "This was in a more acceptable location for a telecommunications development," he said.

Councillor David Turner said: "There is very patchy coverage throughout the Corvedale. But why does it have to be in Diddlebury? Can it not have been elsewhere?"

And Councillor Madge Sheitnton added: "If you do not bring the local people along with you, you will not get full co-operation."

Mr Taylor said that initial approaches were made to the landowners of other possible sites at the outset.

However, despite councillors voicing their concerns, they voted six to four in favour of the application.