Controversial mastplanhalted overlackof consultationwith villageresidents

Protests against a controversial plan to put a 12-metre high mast at the end of a residential street in a Perthshire village seem to have stopped the installation from going ahead.

The PA reported on Tuesday residents in Kirkmichael were incensed when they learned the smart metering associated apparatus was about to be built at the end of Sillerburn Road without even being told a planning application had been lodged for it.

Telecoms company Arqiva applied for permission to put up the mast back in May but only one homeowner received a neighbour notification and neighbours were furious when they learned last week a road was about to be closed to allow for the installation.

Resident Linda Millar wrote to PKC on behalf of another 16 villagers labelling the mast a“monstrosity”that would affect“everyone within Sillerburn Road and the surrounding streets”and urging its planners to at least postpone the work until everyone had been properly consulted.

PKC did not comment on the situation at the time but since then another resident has received an assurance from a project planner working for WHP Telecoms - seen by the PA - that the installation is now no longer going ahead although he alluded to other options being considered.

And a Data Communications Company spokesperson also told the PA yesterday:“We can confirm that installation will not be proceeding at the originally planned location.”