AMBLECOTE has more than its fair share of ‘eyesore’ phone masts, according to Dudley’s deputy mayor who is backing residents angered by plans for more telecoms equipment in the ward.

People living in the Amblecote Road area of Withymoor have hit out at plans by Cornerstone to put in a new base station, mast and equipment for 5G connectivity.

The company says it has written to local residents, councillors and Dudley’s planning department about its plan.

But one resident told the News she was working to get the word out as not many people seemed to know about the application.

She said: “At 65-feet high it’s going to be the biggest one in the region; it’s going to impose on our garden, devalue our properties and it will ruin the look of Amblecote Road.”

Amblecote councillor Paul Bradley, deputy leader of Dudley Council, confirmed: “There is no formal application as yet. However, this type of application usually comes with permitted development rights that frustratingly piggybacks over the normal democratic rights of residents resulting in prior approval being granted.”

He added: “These masts are visually inappropriate, intrusive only offering a negative impact on local areas. Should an application be presented to the authority we will do everything within our limited powers to join residents in objecting this wholly unsuitable location.”

Fellow ward councillor Pete Lee, Dudley’s deputy mayor, said there are already three masts at the junction of Kirkstone Way and Vicarage Road and another opposite the Corn Exchange pub.

He added: “Amblecote Road is a prime location for masts, and we all understand the need for better communication infrastructure. But they always come at a damaging cost to our local visual amenity. We will again be objecting to this application as I feel we have already endured our fair share of these eyesores in the ward.”

A spokesperson for Cornerstone said: “Cornerstone understand that our mobile infrastructure impacts communities. We aim to ensure that our structures blend into the area as much as is possible while enabling quality digital connectivity to the communities we serve. Integral throughout is our engagement with local stakeholders such as planning authorities and elected community representatives.

“As part of our pre application consultation for the proposed structure at Amblecote Road Cornerstone’s agents wrote to local residents, the councillors and the local planning authority and met with community members to discuss the proposal.”

Anyone with any queries about the plan can write to Cornerstone, quoting CTIL: 30881400, at Community Consultation & EMF Enquiries, Hive 2, 1530 Arlington Business Park, Theale, Berkshire, RG7 4SA.