“BULLIED by Vodafone” – that was the claim of angry residents as permission was granted for a 57-foot high telecommunications mast on an Ulverston housing estate.

Objectors from Croftlands appeared at a meeting in Kendal and appealed for the planning committee to reject it after previous schemes were thrown out in 2009 and 2017.

Nicholas Knibbs, chairman of Croftlands community group, told councillors: “Nothing has changed except the colour. You could paint it pink and it would still be a huge monstrosity outside people’s front doors.”

Instead of siting it at the corner of Central Drive and Oakwood Drive, he proposed nearby open land where a landowner was ‘willing to talk’.

Resident Pat Appleton said it had caused ‘substantial anger and frustration’ and was the company’s third attempt at planning permission in a decade.

“Yet again we find ourselves having to object because Vodafone is determined they want this location,” she said.

Another resident, who declined to be named, claimed it amounted to ‘corporate bullying’. Claims were made that the mast, serving Vodafone and 02 users, could interfere with television receptions.

SLDC’s Mark Lynch, interim development team leader, said Government policy backed the company. Mr Lynch said: “Under the company’s licence, they have an obligation to provide a minimum standard of network coverage for mobile phone users and are at risk of infringing their licence. For technical reasons and landownership reasons, they have not been able to find a more suitable location.”

Cllr John Holmes proposed it be given permission. Cllr Holmes, the Conservative member for Bowness and Levens, said: “There is an ever-increasing demand for telecommunications. 5G is coming up and people have got to have broadband. If this went to appeal, we’d lose.”

Cllr Judy Filmore, Green Party councillor for Ulverston East, said it was two-and-a-half times the size of a telegraph pole.

Cllr David Webster, the Labour member for Ulverston East, said: “If we are setting this precedent are they going to come back later and try to put up a taller one? They’ve got the site. We wouldn’t be able to do anything.”

Ginny Hall, for the applicants, said it would provide ‘high-quality 4G coverage’ and that 17 options had been investigated. The mast would be ‘sensitively-designed’ and the company would be willing to discuss further landscaping, she said.

The committee voted 7-5 in favour follow the officer’s recommendation to approve.