A long-standing ban on mobile phone masts being installed on council properties in Norwich could be reviewed – with councillors questioning if it could be 'the lesser of two evils' compared to having them on the streets.

Previously, Norwich City Council decided not to allow any masts to be built on its properties, including council homes and tower blocks, as controversy raged over the health effects of such masts.

But that blanket ban could be reviewed following a request by the council's planning committee, sparked by an attempt to install a mast in Mile Cross.

Vodafone had asked for approval to put up a 13.8m mast in Bowers Avenue, having reduced the height by a metre after a previous application was rejected by the council in June.

Richard Edwards, Green county councillor for Mile Cross presented a petition of 68 signatures from people unhappy at the mast plan.

The committee once again rejected the mast, which would have been near homes and shops, on the grounds it would have an unacceptable visual impact and a detrimental effect on local amenities because of its design and siting.

But councillors also questioned whether it might be time to relax the ban on masts being placed on council properties. David Bradford, chairman of the planning committee, said: 'We were hoping we could revisit that because a conclusion was that putting them on taller buildings might be the lesser of two evils.'

The committee passed a resolution that Mr Bradford should request that the council reviews that policy.

Do you think mobile phone masts should be allowed on council properties? Write to Evening News Letters, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich NR1 1RE or email eveningnewsletters@archant.co.uk