Planning permission has been granted for a 15-metre-high phone mast to be installed in Broadhall Way in Stevenage.

The applicant, Three UK, had warned that if the proposal could not progresss, then "this area would be left without sufficient mobile phone coverage and capacity and would not benefit from the most up-to-date technologies available".

Three UK said there is a specific requirement for an installation at the chosen location, which is close to both Greenside School and Rookies Day Nursery, to "ensure this area of Stevenage maintains access to the latest technologies".

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It said: "As the local area is predominantly residential, with some commercial premises scattered throughout, any potential amenity issues have been considered in depth when bringing forth an acceptable scheme.

"As a result, the development has been kept as low as operationally possible and situated at a distance from residential properties.

"Antennas must ‘see’ the area they are providing service to, otherwise they cannot send a signal and they cannot work."

Three UK said the phone mast will "not appear overly dominant within the street scene and, over time, should become an accepted feature, as with other forms of communication, like roads and railways and installations used by other essential public utilities".