A 17.5m tall 5G mast could be built close to shops in Gidea Park.

Cornerstone, a mobile infrastructure company, has asked to build the monopole at the junction of Manor Avenue and Brentwood Road.

The 17.5m mast would provide 4G and 5G coverage in the area, and replace an existing 4G base station on the roof of 168 Heath Park Road.

A planning application has been submitted to Havering Council, after the authority refused permission for a monopole to be built 30m away from the new site.

The existing site in Virgin Media O2 site in Heath Park Road needs to be replaced because it cannot be upgraded to accommodate 5G technology, Cornerstone has said.

Planning documents state: “This proposed infrastructure will provide higher mobile download speeds and more reliable, quicker phone connections.

“There would be increased capacity to provide services to a higher number of people at the same time.”

They add that the current insufficient coverage is “simply unacceptable”.

Havering Council received the application on September 2, and a decision is expected by October 27.

Full details of the plans can be found on the council’s planning portal under reference M0006.24.