PLANS to construct two telecom towers at separate sites near to Pontypool have been refused, while a third tower in Blaenavon has received approval.

Torfaen council’s planning committee discussed the proposals on Tuesday afternoon which were part of developments to improve communication across the borough.

Applicants Cornerstone Telecommunications have received the backing to erect a 15-metre monopole supporting three antennas and two equipment cabinets at the northern end of Gilchrist Thomas Industrial Estate, Blaenavon.

This would be adjacent to a parking area used by GoS Engineering.

Planning officer Norman Jones said: “It will improve the coverage in the area.

“It terms of the World Heritage site, we do not think it will cause a detriment.”

Blaenavon ward member Cllr Janet Jones added: “There is a need for this in Blaenavon.”

There were concerns in the Blaenavon World Heritage Site that there would be a loss of land, which equates to between four to nine parking spaces but council officers stated this would not cause a significant loss of employment land.

However, two applications from CTIL and Vodafone - one at at land at the junction of Church Road and Commercial Road in Talywain and another at The Highway in the New Inn area - were rejected.

With both applications, the positioning of the masts posed an issue.

The Talywain application was for the installation of a 15m monopole supporting six antennas, two dishes, ground based equipment cabinets and ancillary near to St Thomas’ Church - which is Grade-II listed.

Mr Jones read out concerns from two ward members - Cllr Giles Davies and Cllr Ray Williams - regarding their concerns for the development.

Reading Cllr Williams’ statement, Mr Jones said: “ I don’t object to a mobile mast being erected for the area as the mobile reception isn’t very good at present.

“Though I do object to the mast being placed on the area in question.”

With regard to the New Inn application, the planning officer said that the mast would be “creating a highway danger” due to its location near to a bus stop.

Mr Jones added there would be “interference with the bus stop” and it could force pedestrians to walk in the road, if built on The Highway.

The masts were part of Vodafone’s network improvement programme to provide better coverage in “not spot” areas.