Mast dwarfs Arria!

The mast, which at 14.8 metres (48.5ft) dwarfs landmark A80 statue Arria by four metres, will stand in Seafar’s Brown Road if North Lanarkshire Council grants it planning permission.

And there is is also talk of a secondary mast being erected in nearby Allanfauld Road by the same companies.

Locals have already been alerted to the proposal via letters from O2 and Vodafone - and the News has learned that many are far from happy about having masts in their midst

One Allanfauld Road resident who did not want to be named said that he was troubled by the proposal.

‘‘This mast is taller than the trees beside it. It looks pretty bad and of course there are the possible health risks to worry about,” he said.

However, the applicants have strenously denied the mast would present any hazard to locals. A spokesperson for 02 and Vodafone said: “A detailed assessment of the area was carried out by our agents before this particular site was chosen. The design chosen for this site is a standard streetworks solution which allows the two operators to be accommodated without the need for two separate sites.

“We recognise that the growth in mobile technology has led, in some cases, to public concern about the perceived health effects. Quite naturally, the public seeks reassurance that they are not in any way harmful or dangerous.O2 and Vodafone take these public concerns seriously,”

A spokesperson for NLC said it was too early to comment as crucial paperwork is still to be submitted.