Furious Twickenham parents have slammed plans to build a 5G mast near a primary school and Lidl.

Residents said the pavement outside Deer Park School’s main building is already busy and could get more congested if the telecommunications pole is put where kids are dropped off and picked up.

Telecoms company CK Hutchison Networks has submitted an application to Richmond Council to install the 5G pole and equipment cabinets on Richmond Road to boost phone signal.

The works are expected to be carried out in April if approved, according to planning documents.

But more than 475 residents have written to the council objecting to the plans, including Deer Park School’s headteacher and parent-teacher association.

Many said locals had not been given enough time to comment as the plans were made available on the council’s website on December 21, when the school broke up for the holidays, and can be commented on until January 4.

Alex Lee, the school’s headteacher, wrote: “This area is heavily used at both entry and exit times within the school day, and is congested at these times; especially in light of the adjacent bus stop.

"The congestion traffic, in this case, is primary-aged children and their families, many of whom have prams, bikes, scooters, or buggies, and the imposition of a 20m mast and three large metal containers will be at best obstructive and, more likely, unsafe for our children.”

Mr Lee added that the number of pupils at the school is expected to increase from 329 to 420 by 2025, with the space outside the main building “already tight”.

Another resident called the proposed mast an “eyesore”.

She said: “This is totally inappropriate to install on an already crowded site, with school community, shoppers, cars and bikes already making this area congested.”

A third added: “There’s a significant problem with the siting of the mast, which would interfere with pupils and families queuing to enter and exit the primary school.

"This will also impact the already busy pavement and movement by other pedestrians and Lidl shoppers.

"The school’s bike and scooter storage is in constant use, and the location of [the] proposed mast and cabinets would cause congestion on the pavements and would likely cause accidents and chaos.”

She said the mast could also “affect the nearby property prices negatively”.

A fourth local said: “These masts need not be in town centres or residential areas and not near historic bridges ruining the view.”

A Three spokesperson said: “5G rollout is vital for residents and businesses of Richmond.

"We want to offer the community a reliable network experience and this site will be critical to making that happen.

“Masts need to be situated where people will be using the service and, in many cases, in precise locations to ensure the widest breadth of coverage.

"We carry out extensive searches and evaluate a wide range of options before submitting any planning applications.”