Bristol residents upset over 77ft mobile mast set for park

Residents Against the Mast community group say the mast would be a "blight"

A plan to put a 77ft (23.5m) mobile phone mast in a city park has been criticised for the "destruction" residents say the work will cause.

Agents MBNL, acting for phone companies EE and Three, are planning to erect the mast in Redcatch Park, Knowle, Bristol, where it will remain for 18 months.

Volunteer park gardener, Lesley Powell, said it would "be a blight on the park" causing "a lot of destruction".

MBNL said it was working with residents and authorities during the process.

Sian Ellis-Thomas, from community action group Residents Against the Mast, said the proposed site was the "only green space left for people to enjoy".

She explained it was not just the height causing concern but the reinforced concrete enclosure would have a footprint of 14m x 8m, "so it's a blight in a beautiful and small green space".

Ms Powell said the fact it was there for 18 months was "absolutely not" a counter to the problem, "because the construction work to erect the mast and the enclosure is going to be two or three weeks of really awful destruction of the park".

'Not against a mast'

She said a lot of the park would be out of bounds during construction and again when they took it down, adding "the park just can't stand it".

Ms Powell said: "We're definitely not against having a mast, my own signal is absolutely hopeless, we're trying to work with the agents, Three and EE to look for a location for a permanent or temporary mast."

The action group has worked with local councillors and Bristol City Council who she described as being "brilliant".

Residents are against the height and "footprint" of the mast planned for Redcatch Park

Gary Hopkins, councillor for Knowle Community Party, said they only received information about the work at the end of last year.

He said the owners of Broadwalk Shopping Centre, which is by the park, had offered to have the mast on the roof but "the mast company have failed to go along and check out the offer".

Mr Hopkins said putting the mast in the park was "to put it bluntly, a misuse of their powers. Those powers are there if there's no alternative".

Agents acting on behalf of phone providers can apply for an emergency measure, which means they do not have to go through the normal planning procedures, and the council can grant them a licence.

'Remain connected'

He said since the application was still live, he wanted the council lawyers to say no.

A spokesperson for Bristol City Council, who is responsible for the park, said legislation "limits council powers to prevent this type of work and allows telecoms operators to install their equipment (including masts) on a temporary basis".

They said the telecoms provider made it clear they would seek a court order, if needed, to carry out the work.

MBNL told the BBC that to provide network coverage for those who need it "means that a replacement site needs to be within the local area".

"We endeavour to find permanent solutions as quickly as possible."

The firm added: "We work with local planning authorities to deploy temporary equipment so that the network services can be maintained and those residents and businesses that rely upon EE and Three remain connected."

Residents are making statements to full council later.