A BOROUGH councillor is fighting to prevent a 50 ft mast from being installed - just yards from a school playing field in Barnton.

Although masts do not need planning permission Roy Garton, who is also Barnton's parish clerk, is trying to persuade the borough council to refuse to allow this one to be put up.

The application has been put in by One to One for a mast at Barnton Cricket Club in Townfield Lane, which is adjacent to Barnton Primary School's playing field.

"I don't think that people know about this, it's been sneaked in very quietly," said Mr Garton.

Only last week Vale Royal Borough Council outlined a new policy of discouraging masts where the beam of main intensity falls on a sensitive area such as a school or hospital.

John Groves, head of planning, said: "Clearly we have to look at this particular application and address it in light of the policy that has now been adopted and a report will be prepared for councillors.

"Unfortunately in these cases the company has right of appeal and I don't know of any cases in the country where these masts have been disallowed."etween Townfields Lane and Swanlow Lane.

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