MALVERN Hills District Council is looking to block plans for a mast at Great Malvern railway station.

Network Rail wants to erect the 108 feet (33metre) mast as part of a new digital communication system called GSM-R.

Network Rail does not need planning permission for the mast, in the heart of the Conservation Area, although it is in talks with the council.

This week, MHDC's planning committee agreed unanimously to seek a special order to obstruct the plan.

If approved by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the order will compel Network Rail to seek planning permission for masts taller than 10 metres in the town or 15 metres in the countryside.

But members heard if it is approved, Network Rail could be in line to claim compensation from the council.

Planning officer David Murray said the request would go in to the ODPM as fast as possible.

Council leader Tom Wells said: "We do not believe that it is impossible to reach a compromise over this problem and we will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to find one.

"The last thing we want to do would be to jeopardise the safety of the railway and its passengers, nor do we want to land Malvern's Council Tax-payers with a large compensation bill.

"But we would be failing in our duty to the people of Malvern if we did not explore every possible avenue to find a better way of doing this."

The GSM-R system is being introduced as a safety feature in the wake of recent crashes. It will require some 2,000 masts nationwide.

Other towers planned along the line are at the A440 bridge at Rushwick, and at Worcester Shrub Hill station.

A Network Rail spokesman said locations had not yet been decided for masts to cover the line between Malvern and Hereford.

Anyone who wants to object to the mast can write to the ODPM via Peter Todd, Government Office for the West Midlands, 77 Paradise Circus Queensway, Birming-ham B1 2DT.