New 5G cell phone mast that’s 100ft tall and HUMS for twenty-four hours a day on the backside of our gardens is driving us insane, offended residents say

Furious residents have complained that a new 100ft tall 5G mast which loudly hums for 24 hours a day has ruined their lives after being installed at the bottom of the gardens on their residential road. 

Homeowners on Hurcott Road in Kidderminster fear the ‘eyesore’ generator, which is a mere 1.8m away from their gardens, could kill them if it were to fall during strong winds.

The ‘invasive’ structure makes a constant humming noise which can be heard inside homes and is driving people ‘insane’.

The 5G mast, which was erected in May, towers above residential properties and is anchored down by concrete blocks and chains.

Residents have been driven out of their homes due to the unrelenting noise disturbance and ‘horrible’ smell emitted from the tower. 

Steve Taylor, 58, is living at his partner’s house amid fears the mast might fall.

The marketing executive said the tower structure has ‘ruined his life’. 

‘I wasn’t expecting a nearly 100-foot 5G tower six foot from my garden.

‘It’s a huge issue. I can’t even fathom how someone would think that it is acceptable to build that mast so close to a property.

‘It’s 2ft from my boundary fence. The tower is about 6ft from my boundary.

‘I’m not stopping there at night, I’m stopping at my partners in Droitwich. I tried to stay there but it rocks in the night, you can see it moving.

‘The height of it, it would reach the house if it gave way in strong winds. It would kill me if I was asleep.

‘It’s driven me out of my home. You try to reason it out of your head but when you see it, you can’t.

‘There’s a generator there and it’s like white noise. It’s humming away all the time. It’s ruined our outdoor environment, there’s fumes too as it’s an outdoor generator.

‘I could smell fumes in the shed coming from there. It’s horrible.’   

Mobile Broadband Network Ltd (MBNL) installed the new telecommunications mast in May to replace a smaller device on a nearby roof.

The unit, owned by housing association Community Housing is leased to MBNL until at least September 1, 2026.

Mr Taylor added: ‘We’ve been asking for a meeting with Community Housing, but they obviously don’t want to meet us face-to-face.

‘It’s made our outdoor space totally unusable – who is going to sit in their garden in the summer next to a 100 foot mast? It’s ruined my life.’

Jackie Hardwick, who has lived on the street for 28 years, said the humming sound has driving homeowners ‘insane’.

The retired caterer, 68, said residents were only given three days warning before the 100ft mast began being built.

‘We knew when they came up with the planning to build the houses behind us they’d put a mast there.

‘But we thought it was going to be a third of the size and smaller.

‘We got a letter on a Friday, and they were here on the Monday putting it up. It was up about May, it took them four to six weeks to put it up.

‘Steve has had to move to his partner’s house because he’s freaked out by it. Two other neighbours get humming in their homes.

‘We get humming in our garden which is quite disturbing. It drives you insane.

‘It’s a big area, why did they put it there? I don’t know. It’s only a couple of feet from the gardens.

‘It’s the underhanded way that all of a sudden it’s there. We had no idea it was going to be so invasive, we thought it was going to be a third of a size.

‘I’ve never seen one as invasive as that one.

‘The dogs can also hear the humming noise, so the frequency makes them bark.’

Reform councillor Mark Crosby, from Worcestershire County Council, said: ‘You have to see it to believe it.

‘A couple of residents were on holiday and came back to it literally at the end of their gardens.

‘Two houses are for sale and one had a viewing – the person walked in saw the tower and walked straight out. It’s affecting people’s lives.’

A spokesperson for Community Housing said: ‘We fully understand the residents’ concerns, and will continue to communicate with the Telecoms Operators and their agent, MBNL, to achieve having the temporary mast removed as soon as possible.

‘We are optimistic that by collaborating with the District Council’s Planning Team, the Telecoms Operators will be able to identify and secure approval for a suitable permanent site promptly.’

A spokesperson for MBNL said: ‘The temporary telecommunications mast is maintaining essential mobile coverage for residents, businesses, and the emergency services in Kidderminster – following the removal of the site on top of Coniston House, ahead of the building’s demolition by Community Housing.

‘With the support of Councillor Crosby, we are working with the local authority and urging them to support our planning application to build a new permanent mast nearby as soon as possible.

‘We are sorry for the inconvenience and thank the residents on Hurcott Road for their patience and understanding.’

A spokesperson for Wyre Forest District Council said: ‘The communications tower was installed under permitted development rights and did not need planning permission.

‘These rules allow telecoms companies to install temporary equipment in emergencies for up to 18 months to keep communication services running.’

The Hurcott Road 5G mast is far from the first to frustrate a residential community.

Earlier this year, residents in a leafy suburb in Reading were bewildered when an eerie ‘moaning noise’ started to ring out each night. 

Some thought they may just be hearing things, while others hoped the odd sound would cease on its own – but it continued for months on end.

The sound was constant through both day and night and is said to have been heard over hundreds of metres, with those living roads away from the transmitter still reporting being disturbed by the noise. 

It was only when council officers were called in that it became clear the bizarre noise had been coming from the 5G mast that towered over the residents of Morlais, Emmer Green.

Residents said they could not get a quiet nights sleep after the noise began in October last year, with the issue only fixed in March.