RESIDENTS living near a controversial Tetra mast which was the subject of an embarrassing planning blunder have been told they will have to put up with it over the summer.

Campaigning groups from Test Valley willed councillors to refuse retrospective planning permission for the police communications tower that was put up at a site in School Close, Chandler's Ford,without permission in October 2003.

But mast company Airwave MMO2 was given the green light to keep the mast - which red faced Eastleigh council chiefs only realised in April was not on their patch but in Test Valley - up until October this year.

Tetra campaigner Ian McQueen said he is extremely disappointed with the decision: "I feel that a group of councillors who are from the northern area of Test Valley and have no interest in this area have allowed this to happen.

"The councillors have fallen for the dirty tricks of Airwave and condoned their behaviour."

Mr McQueen also said he felt the planning blunder, which meant Airwave had to withdraw their first application and resubmit it to Test Valley, contributed to the decision.

He said: "The ridiculous blunder has meant councillors have given permission to Airwave by default.

"Now residents feel it won't be moved in October - we think it will be delayed again."

Councillor Alan Dowden, who vehemently opposed granting Airwave MMO2 permission, said: "The people from Valley Park are very upset.

"There was a situation where the majority of councillors who are from the northern area of Test Valley and who know very little about issues down here, approved the temporary application."

He added: "There is still research being carried out into whether Tetra masts are safe. I don't think we should be allowing them to be put in residential areas when we don't know how dangerous they could be."

Residents have angrily voiced their fears over the mast since it was put up last year claiming it is a health and safety hazard, visually intrusive and too close to homes and a school.

But Councillor James Neal on the planning committee, who was in favour of granting permission, said: "If we were to refuse the application then it could have gone into appeal.

"This takes around seven months - longer than the three months until October - this is the quickest way for it to go and we have been told by the landowner and Airwave that it will go."

He added: "We take the interests of everyone into consideration."