Government overrules council mast decision

The 12m-high telecomm-unications pole - designed to mimic' the club's existing mast - was last year refused by Wirral's planning committee after fierce public opposition.

But now operator T-Mobile has won permission to go ahead with the initial plans on the basis that there would be minimal visual impact' on the local environment.

The company appealed to the government planning inspectorate, which has overruled the council committee.

The inspectorate's report says that the mast will be "taller and thicker" than the boat mast currently at the sailing club and will "not be considered out of place in its setting".

But residents are outraged and are rounding up support in a bid to overthrow the appeal decision.

A public meeting held this week saw dozens of people voice their concerns in front of councillors and members of the sailing club.

Hoylake and Meols Cllr Gerry Ellis said that the club would be paid thousands of pounds per year by T-Mobile to house its telecomm-unications mast but said a snag' that could potentially halt the plans is that the sailing club land is on a 75-year lease from the council.

"This loophole may work in favour of the mast opponents as the club will have to apply for council permission to build on the site - it will be interesting to see how it pans out," he said. Resident Mary Woodhouse, who last year gathered more than 180 signatures on a petition, helped to hand out flyers during Bank Holiday's Hoylake Lifeboat Day in a bid to alert the community to the impending mast.

She said: "We are disgusted by the appeal decision and feel that there are still a lot of people living in the area who are unaware that the mast is to go ahead.

"I have had elderly residents crying on my doorstep in fear of living just 10ft away from this mast and many of my newer neighbours said they never would have moved here if they had known."

No one from the sailing club was available for comment.