The installation of a 5G mast has been halted after Hangleton councillors expressed concern that a healthy tree was to be cut back.
They say there has been no consultation around the cutting of the tree when planning permission was granted in November last year.
The council said that the developer installing the mast had now postponed the work.
CK Hutchison Networks wants to instal a 15-metre (49ft) high pole outside the Grenadier shops, in Queen’s Parade.
Councillor Dawn Barnett said: “There are other places they can put it. They can put it up on the railway track, away from everybody, where it wouldn’t cause anybody any problem.
“In all fairness, what really needs to be happening is they want to put their hands up and say we’ve made a mistake, we’ll find somewhere else for it to go and you can keep your tree. That’s the only thing I’m going to be accepting.
“They’re going to have to be up there regularly every month through the summer, when the leaves are coming back on it, and it’s going to block the signal.
“It’s madness to even consider that and it’s madness to consider removing the tree or damaging the tree.”
Councillor Barnett said that she had been promised by the workers that no work would be done on the tree until things were resolved.
Another Hangleton councillor, Nick Lewry, said: “Dawn and myself do not recall anything about cutting the tree back by as much as 35 per cent which will totally spoil the tree, plus it will then have to be maintained to look like that.”
The planning statement at the time said: “The tree located to the immediate north of the site would serve to mitigate to some extent the visual impact of the mast and cabinet.”
The council added: “Approval for the mast installation in Queen’s Parade, Hove, was granted last November. The planning application reference was BH2021/03597.
“No permissions were granted for any tree pruning works or tree removal.
“After concerns were expressed about the installation work council officers acted quickly to visit the site and the work was put on hold.
“The developer installing the mast has now postponed the works in order to consider an alternative approach that will not negatively impact the tree in question.”
There was fierce opposition when another taller 5G mast was proposed in the same road in April 2020.
“They can put it up on the railway track, away from everybody where it wouldn’t cause anybody any problem.”
The point of these aerials that they have to be near the people they’re serving. They’re not as powerful as TV transmitters.
I hope this is an affordable mast