A MOBILE phone mast could be built on top of a Redditch office block if plans are given permission.

Orange has applied to Redditch Council to put four pole mounted antenna and two 0.6m dishes on the roof of Grosvenor House, Prospect Hill.

Several businesses are based in the building and some people who work inside are worried the mast could put their health at risk.

Craig Lippett, an artist at the Redditch Advertiser, which is based on the fifth floor, said: "I wouldn't want to work with a mobile phone mast above my head."

Gill Cook, the paper's advertising manager, said: "If there's a health risk, I'm not happy. In the scheme of things I'd prefer not to have it here."

Nick Jones, managing director of Grosvenor Health on the third floor, disagreed.

He said the plan was a good idea and there was absolutely no evidence of masts damaging health.

"We've been using them for 20 years and there's no evidence," he added.

An Orange spokesman said the Grosvenor House site was a replacement for a site at NEW College destroyed in a fire where the agreement was not renewed after re-building.

"Our first priority is to make sure existing customers maintain the coverage they get at the moment," she added.

"Our mobile phone base stations operate within international guidelines and guidance from central Government. We feel mobile phone base stations are safe and won't be a risk to any member of the general public."

She said a World Health Organisation fact sheet of May 2006 expressly states there is no known risk from any emmisions from mobile phone base stations.

The closing date for the public to respond to the plans is March 27.