A 25-metre telephone mast will be erected on a Harrow golf course despite concerns this will negatively impact “one of the crown jewels of the borough”.

Harrow Council’s planning committee yesterday (Tuesday, May 4) approved plans for the communications tower – which will have six antennae and four dishes – to be placed in Pinner Hill Golf Course.

This was despite objections from the committee’s Conservative councillors and backbencher Cllr Norman Stevenson (Con, Pinner), who argued it was an inappropriate site for the structure.

“This is a very famous location for the views, it’s very rural and this mast will be sticking above the trees – it’s going to be a real eyesore,” Cllr Stevenson said.

“Pinner Hill estate is a lovely part of the world. People might think of it as a very exclusive area, but it is very much open to the public.

“It’s an absolute jewel in the crown, it’s for the whole of Harrow and it should be preserved.”

He added there could be other practical issues stemming from this proposal, such as disruption caused by regular maintenance and the impact on the covenant attached to the site which, he said, states it should “only be used as a golf course”.

Cllr Marilyn Ashton (Stanmore Park), Harrow Conservatives spokesman on planning, acknowledged there is a need for this technology but also questioned whether the golf course is a suitable place for it.

“I think this is completely unacceptable – it’s a very important location,” she said.

“It would be a dereliction of duty on our part not to protect this area from this kind of intrusion.”

A proposal for a mast of the same height but with more antennae was rejected last year on the basis it was too tall.

However, Harrow Council officers, who recommended the plans be approved, pointed out recent policy changes mean a height of 25 metres would now be acceptable.

They added the removal of six antennae means the proposed structure is “slimmer”, which would “reduce the visual impact on nearby protected heritage sites”.