Residents against plan for 5G masts being built in Hove

A consultation is due to close on the scheme, which would see six masts placed on the roof of Coombe Lea, inside the Avenues conservation area.

The proposal is backed by EE and Three and promises to support new mobile technology and provide the area with faster download speeds.

But people living in the flats, on Grand Avenue, say they have not been given enough of a say over the plans.

Campaigner Serena Mitchell said: "Everyone I have spoken to can't believe the power that mobile phone companies have over the ordinary homeowner.

Three and EE could install 5g masts on the roof of Coombe Lea

"The vast majority of homeowners are shocked and angered to learn that these big corporates are seemingly able to make a land grab on the roof of private homes."

"We feel very grateful for the support provided by the local neighbourhood and community to stop this attack.

"The next application could be the roof of your home if we don't stop this overdevelopment spread of masts now."

Locals say the planning application does not have freeholder consent and they are concerned about the impact it will have on views in the area.

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They have received support from Labour councillor Gary Wilkinson, who represents Central Hove.

He said: “It seems totally inappropriate to place a highly visible mast station on the roof of an ageing residential block slap bang in the middle of a conservation area.

“Six giant 5G masts on top of Coombe Lea will be highly visible from over 21 listed buildings in the heritage Hove zone. This will not enhance the conservation area.

“There has been a substantial number of objections to the proposal and I fully support the concerns of local residents and the wider community regarding the inappropriate location of the masts. 

“I am concerned that the mobile phone companies have not considered other options for network expansion, such as siting their masts on the roofs of commercial buildings.”

Coombe Lea residents are against he 5G masts installation.

Brighton and Hove has a “5G testbed” and is in the process of creating a three-mile ring of fibre-optic cables linking the universities, college buildings and public library.

Mobile Broadband Network Limited, which is jointly owned by mobile companies EE and Three, is behind the Coombe Lea plan.

A spokesman said: “5G rollout is vital for residents and businesses of Brighton.

"We want to offer the community a reliable network experience and a new site will be critical to making that happen.”

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“While we try to keep mast sites as unobtrusive as possible, they do need to be situated near to where people will be using the service and, in many cases, in precise locations to ensure the widest breadth of coverage.

"We will be working with the council closely to find a solution.”

The application can be inspected – and comments left – on the council’s website by searching for BH2021/00799.