Mobile moan over 40ft mast scheme

A 40ft high mobile phone mast will blight surrounding homes according to Oldham’s Labour leader.

Vodafone UK wants to position the mast, with three antennas, on land at Cutler Hill Road, Failsworth, but Labour leader and Failsworth East councillor Jim McMahon is fighting the scheme. He says the mast is inappropriate and will have a negative impact.

He said: “The scale of this equipment, and its position at Cutler Hill Road, which rises significantly at that point, will have an impact on the streetscene and importantly on the greenbelt.”

A total of 17 neighbours in Lime Lane, Stockburn Drive and Failsworth Road have been sent a consultation letter by the council’s planning department.

A spokesman for Vodafone UK said the mast was being built to improve 3G coverage for phone customers. He said: “The location was chosen after consideration of six other sites because it will not be visually intrusive against the back drop of street furniture and trees.

“Before applying for planning permission we wrote to the planning authority and ward councillors and erected two site notices in January. We did receive feedback from one ward councillor and a local resident, which we responded to, before submitting a planning application for this site in mid-February.”