PLANNING bosses have given the green light to a controversial mobile phone mast despite strong opposition in Droitwich Spa.

An application by Hutchison 3G for permission to erect the mast on the Yew Tree Hill water tower had originally been refused by Wychavon District Council because of its visual impact.

But now planners have said the scheme can go ahead after the company appealed to the Planning Inspectorate, based in Bristol.

Inspectors decided the site satisfies the Government guidelines, and although they were aware of a number of concerns regarding the health effects of the masts, it is the view of the Government that the planning system is not the place for determining health safeguards.

Senior planning officer for Wychavon District Council, Robert Peel said: "Planning officers originally recommended permission be granted because it complied with planning laws but councillors on the planning committee chose to refuse the application, as is their right."

Droitwich Spa Town Council, which is not the planning authority but makes recommendations to the district council, has a policy of recommending refusal of 3G phone masts until more is known about health implications.

The tower is already used as a site for several companies' mobile phone masts but this scheme will be its first 3G mast.

Mayor Richard Morris said: "I feel our planning laws are very outdated if they do not allow us to consider the health and wellbeing of the people in our town as well as the volume of mobile communications on one site.

"I urge people to write to the Deputy Prime Minister and ask for a significant change in the planning laws so they more effectively consider people and not big business."

A spokesman for Hutchison 3G said all their base stations had been shown to work well within the radiation protection guidelines and overall evidence suggested they were unlikely to pose a risk to health.