A CAMPAIGN group which was created to fight proposals to build two phone masts in Medbourne has admitted defeat in its battle to stop one of them going up.
Medbourne Against Masts (MAM) was formed in May to try to halt plans for a 50ft Orange mast in Drayton Road, and another 65ft mast in Manor Road which was needed for police radio equipment.
Orange was allowed the development under prior notificati
on rules, which means a mobile phone company is given automatic planning permission for masts, and the authority is restricted to changing design aspects such as colour and shape.
MAM campaigner Nickie Philbin said: "We are furious, as it looks like a separate set of rules apply for this application.
"But we have not been told what they are and how we could best interpret them."
Fellow MAM member Dave Downing, from Drayton Road, added: "We've spoken to solicitors and it looks as if there is no chance of us getting anything done about the Drayton Road mast.
"Unfortunately, with the rules the way they are, we don't seem to have a case.
"They haven't started work yet but it was said from the outset that this could take months."
Orange was granted permission for the mast in June.
In a letter to the mobile phone company, district council development control manager Lance Wiggins said: "There is no objection to the siting and appearance of the proposal, subject to the mast being painted hollybush green."
A spokesman for Orange said: "Masts and base stations can only handle so many calls at one time, so in order to increase the capacity of the network we need to increase the number of masts.
"This site was chosen because there were existing trees and these would filter through the design, which would ingratiate the mast into the landscape."
MAM still hopes to defeat the plans for the Manor Road mast.
