BENFLEET’S landmark water tower will not get any more telecoms equipment after Government inspectors backed Castle Point Council.

Councillors voted to turn down the proposals which would have seen more dishes and associated equipment put on the tower in Benfleet Road, Benfleet.

But Latent Networks lodged an appeal with the planning inspectorate and the Government was called in to adjudicate.

But the inspector sided with the council’s original ruling, stating the development would ruin the tower’s “special architectural interest”.

The tower already has masts and dishes fixed to its exterior, but the latest application would have seen another two dishes installed.

The proposals had been widely condemned by neighbours and councillors, who called for the exterior of the 100-year-old tower, which has since been converted internally for office use, to be preserved.

Wendy Goodwin, Tory councillor for Boyce ward, said: “It shouldn’t just be allowed to become a cluttered area. If something goes up, then something else needs to come down.

“The tower is visible from a wide area and it should not just become cluttered.”

In her ruling, inspector Joanna Reid said: “It has been converted for business uses, but this does not detract from its special architectural interest and significance as a historic water utility structure.

“These telecommunications features, which are attached to the listed building, and thus part of the listed building, detract from its special architectural interest, and erode its significance as a piece of early 20th century water utility infrastructure.

“The contemporary form and character of the dishes would harmfully detract from the historic character of the listed building.”

In its original ruling in May, Castle Point Council ruled the landmark was a “prominent feature in the landscape”.