A PHONE mast has got the go-ahead even though plans submitted to the local authority contained a vital error.
The T-Mobile mast on Tile Farm, Guilden Sutton, was expected to be barely visible in the surrounding woodland.
But when it was built, planners discovered the height of the trees had been miscalculated.
Plans showed the mast as 37.5m with the trees standing at 35m. But now the city council has measured them as 10m shorter - leaving the mast looming over neighbouring houses.
A statement from Littleton Parish Council said: 'The mast has caused considerable upset to the residents of Tarvin Road.
'It is now clear the plans submitted to the Planning Board misrepresented the height of the trees on the site.
'We hope T-Mobile will acknowledge that mistakes have been made in this matter and will reduce its height.
'The residents of Tarvin Road in Littleton are most affected by it but Littleton Parish Council were not invited to a crucial site meeting.
'Consequently, the decision by the Planning Board to approve the planning application was clearly based on the wrong assumption that proper and adequate consultation had been undertaken.'
People who can see the mast from their houses feel they were not given a voice when the plans were approved.
Gillian Tooley, of Tarvin Road, said: 'I can see it from a couple of the windows so I've had to let the trees grow.'
City Councillor Brian Bailey said: 'I am hoping that a full meeting will be held in the autumn and it will be possible to reach an agreement with T-Mobile.
'I am not criticising them at this stage. But it is still some 7.5m higher than it needs to be.'
T-Mobile's Richard Owens said two very positive meetings were held but no decision has yet been taken.
