BACK in the 1990s and early 2000s battles against phone masts were commonplace before the mobile network was largely completed.

But now a new tussle is looming over a proposed masts to cater for the latest 5G technology in the southern part of Winchester.

Hutchison 3G (H3G) has applied for permission for an 18-metre monopole with six antennae and two transmission dishes on a grass verge near the junction of Airlie Road and Cromwell Road, Stanmore.

So far there have already been six objections with local people writing to the city council saying the structure would tower over the area.

H3G's agent Chris Dalby has told the council the location is "integral to the needs of H3G's network for the area...to provide new 5G coverage and capacity to the area surrounding the site. It would also improve 4G coverage and capacity."

The site has been chosen to be as far away from houses as possible, he said.

Other locations in the area have been considered and rejected on technical grounds, including the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Sparkford Road/Erskine Road and Winchester University.

Mr Dalby, of agents Sinclair Dalby, added: "At the current location the open space and backdrop of shielding provided by dense and mature (lime) trees and the presence of existing street lights and street signs and bollards will prevent the site being an anomalous feature and help it blend in with the surrounding street scene."

Neighbour disagree. Martin Simpson, of Airlie Corner, said: "The scale of the proposed monopole and cabinets is far in excess of the size of existing street furniture, lampposts and trees in the area. According to the proposal the trees and street furniture will "prevent it from being an anomalous feature". At 18m the monopole is twice the height of the trees that are proposed to be shielding it."

David Thompson, of Wentworth Grange, said: "I would like to lodge my objection to the monopole as a resident in Wentworth Grange. This a low lying location and the height of 18 metres, taller than many masts and would tower over the treeline as can be seen in the planning images. The height coupled with its placement in a location is making no concession to blending in, in what is the only green space in the immediate neighbourhood."

Allison Woodley, of Stuart Crescent, said: "I don't want to be living right near these huge antennas and masts with aerials on them. I don't know what the dangers are of the radiation etc. They will be unsightly. Why don't you put them in Clifton Road or in St Cross? Why do they have to be in Stanmore? I totally reject this idea and am opposed to this for health reasons and for aesthetic reasons.

Karl Eldridge, of Wentworth Grange, said: "The Airlie Road/Wentworth Grange area has always been purely residential rather than a residential/industrial mix. Introduction of an unsightly telecoms mast will change this balance and set a dangerous precedent for future industrial development in the wider St. Cross area."

The city council's own landscape team have also raised objections. "It is likely to have an adverse impact on the amenity of the surrounding properties. Residents will be highly sensitive to the visual presence of the mast and cabinets which have no aesthetic appeal. From a landscape perspective, the impact of the equipment on the surroundings will be significantly negative for the reasons above and as such could not be supported on landscape grounds."

Ian Douglass, of Airlie Road raised a traffic danger. "The pole and associated equipment would be located at a very busy road junction and opposite the bottom of the hill along which Cromwell Road descends. Vehicles regularly exceed the 20 mph speed limit in Cromwell Road and there is a very real risk of a vehicle failing to stop at the junction, crossing Airlie Road and hitting the pole and equipment."