It's a phone mast that was supposed to be cleverly disguised to look like a tree. Sadly, though, residents living near to it have been left flushed with anger because they say it looks like a giant toilet brush.
The 25m tall mast, near Dundas Home Farm, South Queensferry, Scotland, was granted planning permission in June last year by council chiefs. But locals said attempts to hide the phone mast were "ineffective" as it stands more than double the height of the trees around it - and looks more like a loo brush. Some joked baubles and tinsel could be put on the tree at Christmas.
One said: “Oh dear it definitely looks nothing like a tree and very much like a gigantic toilet brush."
Another added: “I think the mast alone would have looked better.”
And on it went: “God’s lavvy brush”, and another joked: “They could put baubles on it at Christmas.”
More than 20 objections were made on the planning application for the mast at the time. They said it would spoil the "visual amenity" of the Dundas Special Landscape Area and have a "detrimental" impact on nearby Dundas Castle.
One objection said: “The application is pretty much identical to the application that was rejected in 2020 by the planning authority other than trying to disguise this mast structure as an extremely tall tree that would seem out of place in the area. It would appear that the height of this mast is considerably taller than existing surrounding trees and would be observed from local properties within the listed area including the livery and properties within the listed Dundas Home Farm.
“This would have a substantial adverse impact on the surrounding area. There would be an impact on wildlife with bat activity observed in the barn store 40 metres from the proposed site.
"The proposed application is within the conservation area of Dundas Castle and Dundas Home Farm and would visually impact the surrounding area negatively. This would be a dominant structure within the conservation area and erode the appearance of this protected area.”
Another said: “This application is very similar to two others made and withdrawn/refused last year. The only discernible difference appears to be that this 25m structure is now to be called a ‘tree mast’ and apparently partially disguised as a tree.
“While any attempt to be less intrusive should be welcomed, since this rigid metal structure would be more than twice the height of the thin line of neighbouring irregular deciduous trees and will have a flashing light on top, the ‘disguise’ would be somewhat, if not completely, ineffective.
“Therefore, this mast would inevitably become a dominant feature at the side of a lane used by many walkers and cyclists, will be detrimental to the visual amenity of the Dundas Special Landscape Area and will have a detrimental impact upon the character of the Dundas Castle Historic Garden Designed Landscape.”
The site is a replacement mast serving both EE and Three’s customers and being built by Mobile Broadband Network Limited (MBNL).
An MBNL spokesperson said: ”The Planning Authority accepted the operators’ proposals for a tree-styled mast to reduce the visual impact whilst ensuring critical mobile coverage will continue to be available to customers in the area, and accordingly the design was approved.”
