Campaigners are urging people to tell them about unsightly masts

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has warned there are likely to be more than 50,000 mobile phone masts in England by the end of 2007.

Many are already a "blot on the landscape", the group said.

An all-party Parliamentary group report in July commented on "a lack of trust" between communities, phone companies and councils over planning for masts.

Many councils and local people just don't know how to go about stopping these things from being erected Paul Miner, CPRE

Paul Miner, a planning campaigner for the CPRE, said in many cases mobile phone operators could put up new masts without having to apply for planning permission.

He said: "This means that people could object to an inappropriate mast proposal, and the council might oppose it, but the mast will still go up regardless.

"Operators are also under no formal obligation to discuss their overall plans for new masts in an area with local authorities or community groups.

"Both these issues mean that many councils and local people just don't know how to go about stopping these things from being erected."

'Planning burden'

The CPRE has urged people to send in examples of masts in their area which they believe could damage the local environment.

Mr Miner said involving the public would help the mobile phone operators and the government meet people's concerns.

He added: "The environment will be the loser if the rules prevent councils and the public from questioning damaging proposals."

This summer's All-party Parliamentary Mobile Group report in said the rapidly-evolving telecommunications industry must be monitored closely to maintain public confidence.

It concluded "one of the main problems with regard to planning for the location of mobile phone masts is a lack of trust between communities and the government, the industry and local authorities".

The Mobile Operators Association has warned that adding more planning regulations will do little to ease public concern.

It claims new rules will simply add a major burden to local planning authorities and slow down planning applications.