AP

Hornsey Cricket Club will be the home to a new 5G mast after an “IT glitch” approved the planning. Haringey Council had initially said that it would refuse the application to build the 20m mast in May last year.

The development at the club – proposed by Cornerstone, a joint venture between Vodaphone and O2 – was deemed by the council to be “visually intrusive” due to its scale and prominent location.

It has since transpired that the council missed the deadline to refuse the application by one day. National legislation states that permitted development applications, which phone masts fall under, must be responded to within 56 days.

Hornsey CC entrance CREDIT: MARTHA DEAN / CITY NEWS

Opposition Liberal Democrat councillor Luke Cawley-Harrison has condemned the Labour run council, accusing them of functioning entirely on “last minute” culture.

He said: “Residents, and in particular Hornsey Cricket Club, are now left to deal with the consequences of the council’s negligence – this simply is not good enough.”

Cabinet member for planning, Cllr Sarah Williams, said:

“The fault has now been rectified and we have put in place stringent measures to reduce the risk of this happening again.

“We have a strong record of opposing inappropriate applications here at Haringey Council, including those through permitted development rights. Any planning refusal can be appealed.”

This mistake was welcomed by Cornerstone who have already started to build the mast.

They said: “We have gained planning permission for a proposed base station at Hornsey Cricket Club which will provide network coverage for residents and visitors to the area.”