Shropshire Star 10.09 05

A towering mobile phone mast planned for a residential area of Shrewsbury could be scrapped amid a storm of objections from nearly 100 protesters.

Telecommunications giant Hutchinson 3G wants to build the 60ft mast on land off the B4380 Shelton Road in Copthorne - less than 40m from the nearest home.

But residents have launched a campaign to have the scheme thrown out. They claim that the mast is too high, has potential health implications and is too close to houses.

The 95 residents have also raised concerns about the close proximity of the site to former Ministry of Defence land which has outline planning permission for a new primary school.

Planning bosses at Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council are due to discuss the proposal at a meeting on Tuesday, and are likely to refuse the plans as the mast would be "visually prominent".

The residents have gained the backing of ward councillor George Richey and MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham Daniel Kawczynski. Councillor Richey will suggest two alternative sites for the mast which were further away from homes.

Nobody from Hutchinson 3G was available for comment today.