Road safety concerns have seen the council block the installation of a 5G mobile phone mast in west Leeds.

Telecoms firm Mobile Broadband Network Ltd (MBNL) was refused permission to fit the equipment near a church on Armley Ridge Road.

The 20-metre installation would have provided network coverage for mobile operators EE and H3G.

Last November Leeds City Council refused an application by the same firm to install a mast on nearby Outgang Lane in Bramley.

MBNL’s latest attempt to find a location for the mast was refused after council highways officers said it would obstruct motorists’ views of passing drivers.

A planning report said: “This would impair the ability of road users to adequately observe one another and react to potential conflicts, increasing the risk of vehicle movements taking place without sufficient visibility of approaching traffic

“The resulting obstruction would therefore give rise to an unacceptable impact on highway safety.”

MBNL argued that the installation was need to plug a gap in mobile coverage in the area.

An alternative location was needed to replace an existing mast on top of Raynville Court, a block of flats due to be demolished.

The new location was on a grass verge opposite the junction with Raynville Road and 550 metres from Raynville Court.

MBNL said in its application: “After extensive research of the area and attempting to deploy a mast in the highway off Outgang Lane, this site was considered the next most appropriate and effective solution.”

“It is essential for telecommunications equipment to be positioned close to the communities being served, ensuring the delivery of a reliable and effective service.”

The company said it sought to keep the height of the proposed mast to a minimum near the Church at Amen Corner.

It would have included nine radio antennas and two transmission dishes, along with equipment cabinets on the grass verge.