Residents are preparing to fight plans to put up a phone mast in their area.

A public meeting is being arranged to discuss it.

Pierre Oxley, chairman of the St Paul's Residents' Association and a Tendring councillor, has received a pre-application consultation letter from the company Hutchison S G UK, which says it would like to put a phone mast in either Victoria Road or Walton Road in Clacton.

Mr Oxley said: "I am totally opposed to phone masts in residential areas and have already written to them to oppose this."

Now Mr Oxley is calling on residents living in the area where the proposed phone mast could be, to contact him with their own views.

In the letter, it says the company is in the process of securing a suitable site in the Clacton area.

The company wants to provide coverage in Clacton in order to meet a requirement and an increase in network capacity.

"I am dead against it as it is a residential area and near a school as well as being outside someone's house," Mr Oxley said.

No scheme has been submitted to Tendring Council.

Six months ago the same company wanted a site opposite the prestigious Gardens area of Clacton to improve reception for customers.

But the idea was strongly opposed by people living in the area.

Published Monday August 30, 2004

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