TAVISTOCK residents are angry that a plan to upgrade a telecommunications mast in the town was approved before the final date for objections was reached.

Fifty-one letters of objection were submitted to West Devon Borough Council but there were still five days to go to the deadline when the telecommunications panel made its decision last Thursday.

Planning officers said there was little choice but to hold the meeting as the time limit on the Orange application for the mast upgrade at Buddle Lane was running out, after which automatic consent would be given anyway.

Concern was expressed in the community over a feared health risk, given that the mast was situated within 250 metres of more than 100 houses.

Opponent John Reynolds said in an article in the Tavistock Times Gazette last month that the upgrading would not make any difference to the visible appearance of the mast ? but the transmissions would be of different frequencies, which he said could bring increased health hazards.

?I don?t think anybody really knows the dangers, but the point is, if they wanted to do this within 250 metres of a school, they would not be allowed to,? said Mr Reynolds.

David Farrant, who also opposed the plan, said a lot of time and effort had been spent on an objection campaign after the borough council asked for the views of the local community.

?Residents were given the opportunity to protest, but what on earth was the point if the council was going to take no notice and make a decision before all the objections were in?? he said. ?Is this local government by the people for the people??

The Orange mast was originally approved in 1996 and although rules and regulations have changed, the guidance is that phone companies only have to consult the public if the mast is within 250 metres of a school, not a residential area.

Planning officer Mark Hancock said health implications had to be taken into account but there was currently no proven link of a health risk from phone masts.

He said: ?The new 3G mast will in fact be less powerful than the current 2G mast because technology has moved on.

?Our telecommunications panel considered the 51 letters of objection and there were representations from the Tavistock ward members so the concerns were heard.

?Unfortunately, we had to set a date for the meeting which was before the final day for objections because the time limit was almost up to consider the application.

?Consent would have been given automatically without discussion if the time limit had expired.?