RESIDENTS opposing the construction of a telecommunications mast in a county village have offered to dig into their own pockets in a bid to halt the development.

Steve and Gill Williams are so concerned about the potential impact of the mast – which could be built on land at Marden Tennis Courts – that they have offered to pay £37,500 to the village's recreational trust which manages the site.

It is the same amount being offered by the joint developers – Shared Access and Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Ltd – for a 25-year lease to site the mast, which already has prior planning approval.

Mrs Williams said the couple’s concerns – which are shared by many others in the village including the head teacher of Marden Primary Academy – relate to the proximity of the proposed mast to the village school and houses and the impact on the landscape.

They have instructed solicitors to deal with their offer of the money to the Marden Recreational Trust, which asks that trustees do not sign the lease for the mast on that site.

She said: “Everyone we have spoken to is opposed to it. Everyone feels there should have been an open meeting or public consultation with trustees and partners before agreeing to allow it at the planning stage.

"Whether there are proven health issues or not, as they say there are not, there is still a great deal of public fear and worry and anxiety.”

She added that they are not against masts in principle but there are other sites available which would situate it further away from the school and playing fields, which they would be willing to offer.

In a planning statement, the applicants state that the proposal fully complies with the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and that the proposal would contribute towards the government's commitment to maintain and improve communications networks across the UK.

In a summary for residents, Marden Parish Council said the lease has to be signed by the Marden Recreation Ground trustees and by the parish council in its role as 'custodian trustee'.

"The custodian trustee (the parish council) must sign the lease if requested to do so by the trustees, unless the council considers the trust has acted ‘ultra vires’," it said.

"If either the trustees or the parish council do not sign the lease and the agreement is not completed, the trust will not receive the money and it will be liable for its legal costs.

"In addition, as planning permission has been granted, because of the telecommunications law, the company can get a court order that allows it to site the mast (without paying any money to the trust) and can ask for costs against the trust and/or the parish council.

A petition containing several hundred signatures will be handed in at the next parish meeting on Monday (May 8). It takes place at 7pm at Marden Community Centre.