A planning application near a school has been blocked after a petition signed by hundreds was sent to the council.

Designs for a 20-metre tower 50 metres from St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School were withdrawn in April last year, after a protest was held outside the gates and a petition was signed by 310 people.

It was not until January that Waldon Telecom, which works on behalf of Vodafone, came back and submitted a new plan for a pole the same size on the other side of the school, in Gosforth Lane instead of Ainsdale Road, to Three Rivers District Council.

The new site was further away from the school buildings (around 100 metres) but a similar distance to the playground as the first site was to the entrance, and so residents were once again up in arms.

Watford Rural Parish council joined locals in voicing fears over the “excessive” pole damaging the character and appearance of the area and South Oxhey district councillor Steve Cox described it as “dominant and unsightly”.

Watford Observer: The application site, in Gosforth Lane.The application site, in Gosforth Lane. (Image: Google Maps/Canva)

The 265-signature petition and 21 individual objections focussed on health fears related to 5G technology, despite the UK Government and WHO view that there should be no consequences for public health when 5G is added installed in an area.

“The close proximity of the proposed site would expose school children and local children to unprecedented, highly concentrated levels of RFR [Radiofrequency radiation],” the petition said.

“Biological harm has been proven to humans after prolonged exposure to RFR – particularly young people with developing brains.”

It also described the pole as an “eyesore”.

Watford Observer: Arrow between the withdrawn site, in Ainsdale Road, and the new one in Gosforth Lane.Arrow between the withdrawn site, in Ainsdale Road, and the new one in Gosforth Lane. (Image: Google Maps/Canva)

The planning application provided a document outlining that “there is no cause for concern in regard to health”.

It highlights that the World Health Organisation has found no adverse health effect has been causally linked with exposure to wireless technologies “after much research performed”.

Objectors to the plan were sent a letter confirming that the application had been refused yesterday (March 7).

Update: The decision notice has not yet been added to the planning portal, but Three Rivers District Council has confirmed that the reason for refusal was that its siting and appearance would be "visually incongruous, prominent, and obtrusive" thereby harming the street scene and wider area.