COUNCILLORS are being urged to reject another application for a mobile phone mast in County Durham.

Planing officers at Chester-le-Street District Council have advised against approval of the 15-metre pole and four antennae.

Vodaphone wants to put up the the mast, two dishes, an equipment cabinet and compound on land near the East Coast Mai Line railway bridge in Holmhill Lane, Chester Moor.

The company said coverage levels provided by sites at Chester-le-Street railway station and south of the district boundary left a gap.

It said the proposal would improve coverage to the railway line area and would help reduce instances where phones are cut off.

Because of the speed of trains on the East Coast Main Line, Vodaphone believes a degree of overlap between cells is needed to ensure the effective "handing over" of calls from cell to cell.

Thirty-four letters of consultation have been sent to residents.

The council has received one letter of objection from Chester Moor Community Group and a verbal opposition from a resident of The Dene.

The basis for the objection is because it would be the fourth mast in Chester Moor and it would affect the outlook of the houses.

In a report to the committee, which meets next week, planning boss Tom Watson said: "Mobile telecommunications developments and applications are generally unpopular developments, especially when they are proposed near to, or within, residential areas."

He said the proposal would be contrary to the council's local plan, harm the visual amenity and introduce an urban feature into a rural setting.