An emergency telecoms mast put up behind people’s homes without warning or planning permission is still in place – months after neighbours began a campaign to have it removed.

The mast – reported to be 30 metres tall – was put up in a shopping estate loading bay directly behind Ivy Crescent in Cippenham in April. Mast owners Motorola Solutions say it was put up as a temporary measure and will be removed ‘as soon as possible’.

But neighbours on nearby streets say they’re still plagued with noise and fumes from a diesel generator used to power the mast ‘for hours on end’.

One resident of Dunster Gardens – who didn’t want to be named – told the Observer: “We’re getting the smell of diesel for hours on end as it runs, and that affects all the people in Dunster Gardens.

“There’s also a hum and you can hear when it’s on.” He added: “As far as I’m aware none of the residents in Dunster Gardens were ever approached about this. It’s almost a case of the corporates get to do what they want and sod everyone else.”

Simon Cooksey of nearby Ivy Crescent led a campaign of cul-de-sac residents against the mast after it was installed in April. He told the Observer that residents have been ‘battering the council’ for months in a bid to get it to take action.

Slough Borough Council confirmed that it had issued a planning enforcement notice to the mast’s owners and that this had been due to come into effect on August 30.

But the council said the owners lodged an appeal against the notice with the government’s planning inspectorate. That means the enforcement notice has to be suspended until the inspectorate has made a decision – following a process that can take between 18 and 24 months.

However, Motorola Solutions says it has found an alternative site and hopes to move the mast ‘very soon’.

The tower is a Tetra mast which is used to facilitate emergency services’ communications. It was put up by a company called Airwave, which is owned by Motorola Solutions. A spokesperson said: “Reliable radio communications are a matter of public safety.

The temporary Airwave mast was erected to support radio communications for the emergency services personnel operating in the area, whilst we identified a permanent solution. Having done so, it is our full intention to move from the current site as soon as possible.”

They added: “The hybrid generator is powered primarily by solar panels. A supplementary diesel system runs only as necessary to provide adequate power for the temporary site. We are continuing to work with the Slough Borough Council to address the concerns of residents.”