Improved mobile phone coverage is on the way to Ellesmere and the surrounding area.

Vodafone and Telefonica, the company behind O2, hope to place a pole in Grange Road with a planning application submitted to Shropshire Council last month, which they say will bring 4G to current ‘not spot’ areas and improve 2G and 3G in those areas, and enable people to use their handsets in line with their contracts.

It comes following a high profile campaign in Shropshire, led by North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson to bring a better phone signal to the region.

The equipment in Grange Road would be based at the Fabdec Ltd factory and include a 17.5-metre high monopole which will support three antennas and two transmission link dishes.

A planning statement says: “The proposal is required to provide improved indoor voice calls (2G coverage), improved 3G services and new 4G coverage where currently there is no indoor coverage within the residential area of Ellesmere and the surrounding environ.”

It adds: “Ellesmere and the surrounding area currently has little to no indoor 3G and 4G coverage. Therefore the residents, businesses and visitors and the surround local area are unable to use their 3G and 4G handsets indoors. This is contrary to the purposes in which they were purchased.

“The proposed installation would provide high quality indoor 2G/3G and 4G coverage to Ellesmere and the immediate surround area.”

The companies also confirmed they have been in discussion with Ellesmere Town Council and Mr Paterson.

n Meanwhile, the proposals for equipment to be based in Cockshutt have been granted.

The 17.5-metre high lattice tower with three antennas will be based just off the junction of Shrewsbury Road and Crosemere Road, and is another proposal for Telefonica to “significantly improve” its 2G and 3G signal, while bringing 4G services to the area.