RESIDENTS have won their battle to prevent a radio base station and three phone masts from being erected at Yarm Sports and Social Club.

Officers recommended approval of the scheme at a meeting of Stockton Borough Council planning committee on Wednesday.

But members voted by 7-6 to refuse prior approval for the application by Hutchison 3G.

The application included three wall-mounted masts, each 12.5m high, and an equipment cabinet enclosed by a 2m-high fence.

The council received 31 letters of objection from residents, plus a 70-signature petition against the proposal. Yarm Town Council also objected to the plans.

The majority of objections centred on the fear of health risks to children from signals emitted by the antennae on the masts.

The planning committee heard the sports club's tennis courts were used by a large number of children, and there were schools in the area that could be affected.

Residents were also concerned about the visual impact of the masts on neighbouring properties.

Nick Oliver, whose home in Canon Grove backs on to the sports club, said: "All we would see, if this was passed, would be those three masts on top of the clubhouse."

He warned that parents would keep their children away from the club if the phone masts went up.

Coun Marjorie Simpson, who represents Yarm for the borough council, said she was particularly concerned about children being exposed to potentially harmful radiation..

"It is a totally inappropriate place for these masts to be, even if the Government says we cannot take health risks into consideration as part of the planning decision," she said.

"We would not have it in a school, so we should not have it here."

Her fellow Yarm councillor, Brian Jones, claimed people had not been properly consulted or informed about the plans.

He said: "I believe the council has done its best to inform residents, but not the people who are members of the sports club and those whose children use the club."

Steve Barker, head of the council's planning department, said 399 letters had been sent to residents, but informing members about the plans was up to the sports club, not the council.

Coun Jones asked for the matter to be deferred until after the club's annual meeting on Monday, but this was not agreed by the committee.

A motion that prior approval was required was carried by 8-5.

The subsequent decision to refuse approval was on the grounds of the proposed masts being too close to neighbouring homes and schools; the visual impact of the masts and residents' perceived fear of health risks.

The committee chairman, Coun Mick Stoker, warned that an appeal was likely, unless the sports club withdrew permission for the station to be sited on its land.

He said: "If they throw it out at their agm, there is no point in the applicant appealing. But if they do appeal, you know and I know that they will win hands down."

After the meeting, Mr Oliver hailed the decision as "common sense".

He said: "I'm really happy with the decision. It's obviously down to the pressure from residents.

"The next step is to lobby the sports trust at its agm on Monday."