A GARAGE boss believes he has boxed communications giant Vodafone into a corner.

Upset after refusal of planning permission for the 11.4 metre tall mast at Penny’s Corner, Hordle, was overruled on appeal, Sean Denman is staging his own protest.

He welded a large wood and metal box to an elderly Nissan and parked it at the edge of his Hordle Garage forecourt where it overhangs the pavement exactly where Vodafone wants to site its mast and box of broad band electronics.

Mr Denman said: “I don’t want it, the parish council doesn’t want it, the district council doesn’t want it and then this muppet from Bristol comes down here and says ‘Yes, it’s alright’.

“The car is on my site and they can’t move my car on my land.

“It’s right on the pavement, right on the corner. It would halve your view if you pulled out of the garage. It’s not safe.

“It’s just a monstrosity and in completely the wrong place.”

He is not the only one to think that.

The parish council said the mast would add to the clutter at the site, would be “only feet away from a thatched cottage”, it is a vulnerable location and a road accident could topple the mast onto the fuel pumps. In addition the equipment will partially block the pavement.

A petition with 270 signatures was sent to New Forest District Council, as were 15 letters of opposition.

The district council refused permission on the grounds of visual intrusion and incongruity, and its impact on the cottage, a listed building.

Allowing Vodafone’s appeal, inspector Olivia Spencer said given the thrust of government policy “the need for this facility is sufficient to outweigh the limited harm to the character and appearance of the area”.

Vodafone’s Dr Rob Matthews said: “The location was chosen after consideration of 15 alternatives as it provides a backdrop of street furniture, against which the proposed timber telegraph pole will not be visually intrusive.”

He added: “We are currently finalising our build plans and it is our intention to develop this site this financial year.”