A mobile phone mast will be built just 300 metres from a Colchester primary school.

Orange Personal Communications applied to Colchester Council to put up the mast, three supporting antennae and an equipment cabin in a grass area opposite St Christopher Road, in the town's St John's estate.

The council's planning and traffic regulation committee granted approval because, under current planning law, they could not refuse the scheme on health grounds.

Representing nearby residents, Helen Chuah (Lib Dem, St John's) said: "There's evidence of growing worldwide concern with regard to these masts and health issues, especially in young children.

"We just don't know what the long-term effects of these masts are, and this one will be slap bang in the middle of the St John's estate, and 300m from the primary school."

The set-up is called a "microcell", which is low-powered and boosts mobile telephone signals at street level.

Henry Spyvee (Lib Dem, Castle) said health fears should be allowed to play a part in planning decisions.

He said: "Because a health hazard has not been proved, they have been assumed safe. I would love to have the opportunity to turn this down, but it seems we can't."

In a letter to the council, Liam Murphy, an acquisition surveyor working on behalf of Orange, said alternative sites had been looked at but this was the best one.

The decision to grant permission is despite a 75-name petition from St John's residents against the mast.

Under conditions laid down by the council, the mast will have to be removed within ten years.

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