MORE than 100 people have signed a petition against plans to erect a mobile phone mast in their neighbourhood.

Telecommunications company Vodafone has applied to Stoke-on-Trent City Council for permission to erect the 12ft-tall (3.6m) mast on the corner of Sneyd Street and Hanley Road in Sneyd Green.

The company says the mast is needed to provide 3G coverage to the surrounding area.

But a petition calling for the application to be thrown out has been signed by 130 residents and three people have written letters of objection.

Residents fear children walking to and from Sneyd Green Primary School could have their health put at risk, and that the mast would also be too close to Holden Lane Primary School, Hamilton Infants School and nearby pensioners' bungalows.

Susan Postlethwaite, one of four Sneyd Street residents who worked together to produce the petition, said although health risks are unproven, she believes there may still be hazards attached to having a phone mast so close to schools.

The 50-year-old said: "There are three schools in the vicinity so children will be going past it twice a day. The risk of health problems is unproven but there is the potential there.

"There's already a lot of clutter at the top of the street and the box would be another thing for people to sit on and to graffiti."

Neighbour and school worker Jeanette Andrews, who also helped with the petition, said: "Feelings are running high about this because we feel we are a dumping ground. My first thought is for the children who will be walking past it and the effects on them. We don't want to be guinea pigs while they figure out what the health effects are.

"It's also going to be an eyesore and it will get in the way."

Tony Harrison, aged 49, of Hanley Road, has sent a letter of objection to the council.

He said: "Who wants a phone mast on their doorstep? We don't want something else cluttering up the area. There are plenty of fields they could put it in."

Mr Harrison's wife Andrea, aged 40, added: "It will devalue our properties, and there's no room for it anyway."

Vodafone's application says that the pole will fit in with the surrounding area. It says: "It is considered that the use of a slim line street pole will sit in context with existing street elements such as 10 metre high lighting columns.

"The existing commercial properties surrounding the installation mean it is not directly overlooked by any residential properties and, in all, the installation will not pose to be a prominent feature."

A decision on the application will be made by planning officers under delegated powers. The target date for a decision to be made is June 8.

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