BRENDON and Countisbury Parish Council has objected to the installation of a mobile telecommunications pole – part of Exmoor’s new wireless superfast broadband network.

The company setting up the network – Airband Community Internet – says the system will provide superfast broadband to areas not covered by the BT network and provide “significant social and economic benefits”.

But Exmoor National Park Authority members will be told at their meeting on Tuesday that Airband’s application for a 12-metre mast at Stray Park Corner, Brendon Barton Farm, was opposed by the council because they feared the pole – within 250 metres of the village’s grade two listed church – would have an adverse impact on the landscape.

Instead, the council wanted the pole’s height restricted to eight metres tall – the same as a nearby electricity pole.

A 12-metre pole would enabled 16 local premises to get superfast broadband, but only 13 would benefit from an eight-metre pole.

In a report to Tuesday’s meeting, planners say that due to an administrative error by Airband, the 12-metre wooden pole has already been erected.

They argue that the mast’s impact on the landscape would be acceptable, and that the benefits of broadband outweight any harm caused, and are recommending that it be given retrospective planning permission.