MOBILE phone giants have revealed plans for a 17.5m pole to be erected at the rear of a disused garage.

The proposal for the site behind the former Gordon's Garage in Horwich was submitted by Vodafone and Telefonica earlier this month.

The pole would support two dishes as well as three antennas and there will be three equipment cabinets.

These will all be contained within a fenced compound.

A statement from the applicant said: "Vodafone and Telefónica have radio base stations at Horwich Recycling Centre, Chorley New Road, Horwich, providing network coverage to the surrounding area.

"The landlord has requested the operators to remove their equipment from the land to facilitate redevelopment of the site.

"Consequently, the operators now require a replacement site to continue to provide coverage to this area once their equipment at Horwich recycling centre has been removed to ensure there is no loss of coverage.

"The proposed installation at this location will maintain and improve coverage in this area. Gordons Horwich Service Station has been identified as the optimum available solution that would provide network coverage to the area with minimal environmental impact."

The application recently went before Horwich Town Council's planning committee, who voted to recommend the scheme for approval.

Cllr Jim Bullock said that the compound would replace the mast that was formerly at Armstrong's at the Horwich Loco Works off Chorley New Road, which is due to be developed into 1,700 homes.

During the meeting, it was revealed that nobody living nearby had objected to the scheme.

The town council voted to recommended the plans for approval.