Bournville’s 3 local councillors were pleased to see that the City Council’s Planning Committee has refused a planning application by Vodafone to erect a 25 foot mobile phone mast on Raddlebarn Road just outside the old Selly Oak Hospital site.

Councillors argued that the site was on a busy thoroughfare for many people including school children and was close to sporting facilities. We also argued that once the Selly Oak Hospital site is redeveloped the mast could be a huge eyesore and a disincentive to redevelopment.

Councillor Dawkins has long argued that these 25 foot high structures are completely inappropriate for residential areas. ‘The mobile phone companies make huge profits and it is up to them to develop solutions which do not require such tall inappropriate structures scarring our communities.’

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