By Andrew Jarret

YET ANOTHER APPLICATION by a telephone company to site a mobile telecommunications mast in Carnoustie looks doomed to fail.

The latest attempt, by Vodafone for a site in Carlogie Road, has been recommended for refusal by Angus planners.

The application also attracted some 40 letters of representation from residents.

Mobile phone companies regularly apply to site masts in the town, but in recent times almost all have been knocked back by Angus Council.

The latest application site is located to the west of Carlogie Road, approximately two metres north of an existing bus shelter and some 85 metres north of its junction with Newton Road.

The site is located within a mixed use area and is bound to the west by the Millennium Wood that forms the eastern boundary of Carlogie Park, on east side of Carlogie Road by agricultural land and to the south east by residential properties.

Vodafone say the equipment is required in order to give local users better service in the so-called “3G” technologies— multimedia and internet facilities.

The applicants say that they considered 11 other sites in the area but discounted them all for various reasons.

In a report for the council’s development standards committee members, infrastructure services director Eric Lowson said the application has attracted objections from both the council’s head of roads and head of neighbourhood services.

“The structure and ancillary equipment are located within 1.8 metres of the adjacent carriageway therefore the head of roads objects to the proposal in the interests of pedestrian safety,” said Mr Lowson.

“The head of neighbourhood services has objected to the proposal as the structure would be located adjacent to the Millennium Wood at Carlogie Park.

“This would greatly detract from this woodland scene within the park and its installation would cause damage to the adjacent established hedge row.”

Carnoustie Community Council have also objected to the principle of the proposed development on the grounds that the mast is located in “what is almost exclusively a residential area and is immediately adjacent to a bus stop and a very well used sports recreational ground.”

A spokesperson said, “The development would be visually obtrusive and sited at what is effectively the gateway to the town and as a result would introduce an unacceptable incongruous element into the landscape.”

Mr Lowson went on, “Although the applicant has discounted other sites in favour of this site it is my opinion the mast is proposed in an exposed location where there is no potential screening and will be visible from the north, south, east and west and will result in a negative visual impact.

“Given that there are no other structures to help minimise the visual impact of the proposed mast, and considering the application site is on one of the main access routes into Carnoustie, the application proposes development which in my view is contrary to the tests aimed at both the principle of development within the site and the tests aimed at the detail of the development.”

The matter will be decided today.