A MOBILE phone mast can be placed on a grass verge by the side of a major road in Malvern despite protests by local residents fearing it will be in a dangerous place and may cause health problems.

An application by Hutchison 3G (UK) Ltd to place a 12.5 metre high slimline pole with three internal antennae on land at the junction of Pickersleigh Road and North End Lane was turned down by Malvern Hills District Council but has now been allowed by a government planning inspector following an appeal.

The inspector Chris Trewick said the grassed area gave a pleasant spacious quality to the site but there was a lot of "street furniture" such as traffic lights, directional signs, bollards, street barriers, bus-stop shelter, telegraph poles and tall lighting columns.

"From most directions it will be seen as just another tall slim structure in the midst of many existing columns," he said.

He added that a number of local residents had objected to the proposed mast, expressing concerns that emissions from these masts represent a health hazard to nearby people.

"The Government's view is that the planning system is not the place for determining health safeguards and that, provided a base station meets the guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation, it should not be necessary to consider health concerns any further," added Mr Trewick.

He allowed the appeal and planning approval was granted.