COUNCILLORS have signalled they will object to plans for a 15m mobile phone mast to go up near hundreds of homes and a school in Dorcan.

Previous plans by telecommunication giants O2 and Vodafone to put a mast up in other areas in Swindon have met with opposition, including in West Swindon and Haydon Wick.

Now councillors for Covingham and Nythe have received letters from Mono Consultants, acting on behalf of the firms, seeking their views on a phone mast on a grass verge next to the Patheon building before it is entered as a formal planning application.

But Coun Emma Faramarzi (Con, Covingham and Nythe) said she was wary of the dangers of these masts.

“It is a highly residential area,” she said.

“And both Dorcan Technology College and Covingham Park Primary School are close by.

“At the moment the research is inconclusive and some say there are no adverse health risks while others say there are.

“I’m sure we’ll get the usual NIMBY comments and I accept the masts have to go somewhere but I’m not happy for it to be going up in a residential area.

“I use a mobile phone but I would say I also use electricity and I don’t want a substation in my back garden.

“I think residents would feel strongly about this and would not want it to go ahead.”

The governors of Covingham Park Primary School met last night to discuss the proposal.

A letter form Karen Sheppard, of Mono Consultants, which states the councillors have 14 days to respond before a planning application went in, says the masts would be compliant with international regulations.

It said: “As part of Vodafone’s and O2’s continued network improvement programme, there is a requirement to improve 3G coverage in this location.

“Mobile telephones can only work with base stations where people want to use phones or other wireless devices.”

A spokesman for Patheon said they would not be looking to support the planning application.

Anyone who would like to express their views can contact Coun Faramarzi by emailing efaramarzi@swindon.gov.uk.