A new 5G mast approved for a village would be an “insult to the King”, according to residents who planned to put a coronation bench and tree at the site.
Plans for the bench in Burstall, near Ipswich, also had the backing of His Majesty himself, with a letter from Buckingham Palace thanking villagers for marking the occasion.
A new 15-metre EE mast has been given prior approval for a grass verge in the village.
The chosen site for the pole, that will service voice calls, 3G, 4G and 5G connections, has left Burstall Parish Council feeling “annoyed, upset, and disappointed”.
Susan Frankis, clerk to Burstall Parish Council, said: “The village commemorated the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 by dedicating a piece of land and planting a tree on what villagers call coronation corner, in the heart of Burstall.
"Carrying on the tradition, we wanted to do something to mark the coronation of the King. It was thought a handmade oak bench, with a carving commemorating the coronation, would be lovely.
“We also have a sizable oak tree that we had arranged for the Suffolk Lord Lieutenant to plant for us, but we have had to cancel the planting and village event because EE will not change their minds about choosing another site for the mast."
The bench, funded by county councillor Christopher Hudson, is engraved with "King Charles III Coronation 2023", and is currently in the parish council chairman's garden along with the oak tree.
Mrs Frankis added: "We are upset because it is disrespectful to the King. We wrote to the Palace and told them what we were doing, and we had a lovely letter back saying thank you for marking the occasion, the coronation.
"It said that this kind of thing is right up the King’s street, with the environment, so it ticks all the boxes for the King’s aspirations for the countryside going forward."
Mr Hudson added that the plans were an "insult to His Majesty Charles III".
The application, for the grass verge north of Burstall Hall Lane, near the Church Hill junction, was made by EE in May and approved by Babergh District Council in July.
An EE spokesman said that the provider understood the concerns that have been raised, but mobile connectivity is "a vital lifeline for rural communities".
The spokesman said: "This mast will serve the villages of Hintlesham and Burstall and help local people and businesses stay connected.
“We have adhered to all the necessary planning procedures regarding the new mobile mast at Burstall Hall Lane, including consultation with heritage and ecology specialists.
"We have also taken several steps to ensure that, once installed, it will be in keeping with its rural surroundings, including planting a row of new shrubs to restrict its view from the roadside.
“While we have not seen the exact details of the proposal for the coronation bench, we informed the local parish council in July that, if there are no conflicts with our kit, we have no objections to the bench being placed on the wide grass verge.”
A spokesman for Babergh District Council added that the council always seeks feedback from the community: "In this case, there was a balance to be found between minimising the impact on our local heritage and ensuring local mobile phone coverage.
"We cannot comment for the landowner over why the application was made to erect a mast on this land, rather than any other plans.”
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