PROTESTERS are celebrating after Hart District Council threw out a planning application to build a mobile phone mast on a conser-vation site and local beauty spot.

The decision followed objections against the 60ft BT Cellnet mast from local residents, Odiham Parish Council, RAF Odiham and Hampshire County Council's archaeologists.

Jane Pratt, who lives next to the proposed site at Hill Side Farm, Odiham, attended the meeting and spoke in defence of maintaining outstanding views across the open countryside, protecting 10 acres of undisturbed agricultural land and leaving 2,000 years of history undisturbed under the soil.

Speaking after the meeting, she said: "We are very pleased with the result. There will be no mast of any kind there and the council decided it is totally unsuitable for open countryside like this.

"We had a three-minute slot to say everything we wanted to.

"It is invaluable for members of the public to go along and have their say. It carries a great deal of weight in cases and I would urge other people to take part in the planning process."

Ian Wykes, Hampshire County Council's senior archaeologist, submitted a report requesting that a full archaeological survey on the ancient Romano-British site be completed before any construction could begin.

Hart district planner Martin Pendlebury told The Gazette: "The application was refused, as recommended by the officers.

"It was turned down because of the visual impact on the listed buildings, the impact on a well-known view in Odiham and the importance of the archaeological site.

"Defence estates also raised the issue of a risk to low flying hel-icopters from RAF Odiham."

Archaeologists from Southampton University carried out a resistivity survey last year after shards of brick, tile, pottery, oyster shells, spindle whorls and part of a pair of tweezers were found on the site.

It is believed to be an ancient agricultural settlement occupied from the 1st to the 4th century AD and was just one of several Romano-British settlements in the parish of Odiham.

No-one from BT Cellnet was available for comment.