A VICTORIOUS telecom company has been given the go-ahead to put up a mast in a residential area of St Albans. The bid by Orange to install an eight-metre-high column and equipment cabinet on the corner of Sandpit Lane and Gurney Court Road was originally

A VICTORIOUS telecom company has been given the go-ahead to put up a mast in a residential area of St Albans.

The bid by Orange to install an eight-metre-high column and equipment cabinet on the corner of Sandpit Lane and Gurney Court Road was originally rejected by St Albans district councillors in April.

One of the reasons why it was turned down was because Orange had failed to provide information on suitable alternative sites in St Albans for the mast, but an inspector who surveyed the city earlier this month deemed that the small area of green space on Sandpit Lane was the best location for it.

Planning portfolio holder for the district council Cllr Chris Brazier said that he received the news earlier this week (24): "The inspector's report stated that alternative sites such as Clarence Park and opposite St Saviours Church in Sandpit Lane were all found to be unsuitable, leaving the original site as the most favourable one."

He added: "We've never agreed with the proposal and still think that putting a telecom mast on that small area of space will be detrimental to the surroundings. The inspector agreed with our summation, but decided that the drawbacks were outweighed by the need for better tele-communications in this area.