PEACE talks are being called for between Basingstoke council and mobile phone firms as mast applications flood into the borough.

Conservative councillor Phil Heath is urging the council to consult phone companies to determine a strategic plan for the best location for masts.

Cllr Heath's plea comes at the same time as the latest controversial proposal by a mobile firm looking to site a mast near the new lido.

Over the last few months, residents have had to battle against proposals for masts near to homes, schools, shops and on major roundabouts.

Vodafone now wants to place a 15-metre mast close to the lido at the West Ham Leisure Park.

The pool - currently undergoing major construction - will be visited by hundreds of children each day when it opens in 2002.

At the council's development control committee meeting on Wednesday, Cllr Heath said: "If we turn a mast down, the companies just come back with something else.

"It's time we had a suitable conversation with them. We are not at war with them but want to make peace.

"We don't want a perfect solution for us or them but a sensible compromise.

"Let's sort it out before we get masts on every street corner."

Basingstoke MP Andrew Hunter, who has already appealed for a moratorium on mobile masts, believes it is time a strategy was established for dealing with such applications.

He said: "Hampshire County Council is developing a strategy for mobile masts and it is time the borough council did the same."

The issue of mobile phone mast applications is being investigated by the Cabinet member for forward planning, Paula Baker, in her portfolio for the coming year.

Director of planning Tony Curtis, speaking after this week's meeting, said: "There is merit in trying to meet the operators to see what we can identify as the best way to minimise the number of masts and environmental impact."

But Mr Curtis said the council is limited by government guidance which "weighed heav-ily" in favour of the mast operators and was hopeful that changes in legislation would be brought in soon.

He added the council has had presentations and discussions in the past with operators and hopes further talks will take place.

Residents were delighted to hear that four mast applications had been withdrawn before Wednesday's meeting, including the controversial 15-metre BT Cellnet mast by the junction of Buckingham Parade and Kempshott Lane within metres of two schools, shops, homes, an elderly people's complex and a pub.

Simon Preedy headed the protest on behalf of his father who lives by the proposed mast.

He told The Gazette: "We had more than 1,400 signatures on the petition and 225 letters of objection.

"We're delighted it's not going to be sited in the centre of our community but one does fear that, at this moment in time, the problem might move elsewhere."

Two other phone mast bids were discussed at the meeting and both were refused.

A mast earmarked for land at Newbury Road roundabout, Kingsclere Road, Basingstoke, was rejected because it was sited on the edge of the countryside and would create an unacceptable intrusion to the open road area.

A proposal for a mast at Winchester Road/Wallop Drive in Kempshott was refused because councillors felt it would be visually intrusive and would cause overdevelopment of the site.

The other mast applications which were withdrawn were: one on land east of the junction of Timberlake Road and New Street, Basingstoke, because the site was within a conservation area where a full planning application for telecommunications work is required; a mast on land adjacent to the car park in Eastrop Way, Basingstoke; a mast to be erected by Church of Christ the King and Gillies Health Centre at Brighton Hill Parade because the landowner, Proudreed Ltd, working with Asda Stores Ltd, refused to give permission for the installation.

Another eight applications are being processed and could soon appear in the borough if planning permission is granted.