Many residents suspect mobile phone companies are trying to wear them down by submitting then withdrawing planning applications, forcing local people to renew their opposition to each new application.

They believe the applicants hope to grind steadily away at their resolve until a point is reached when no one can be bothered signing yet another petition.

If so, the plan seems to have backfired with the latest petition, which will be handed in to Dundee City Council planners today, after amassing 700 signatures more than the first one.

Dundee East MSP Shona Robison, who is backing the residents in their campaign, said, “Despite the best efforts of the mobile phone companies to get residents to give up and go away, it’s having the reverse effect: more people than ever are up in arms about it.

“It’s strengthened the community’s resolve to resist these masts and rightly so. They have my full backing”.

Ms Robison said the fear, however, was that, even if the latest planning application is rejected by councillors, the Scottish Executive might ignore their views if the issue goes to an appeal.

“Nearly twice the number of signatures on the original petition have been collected for this one and I hope the campaigners get the support of the elected members in Dundee who will, hopefully, listen to the views of local people.”

Anti-mast campaign organiser Dr Shirley McEwan said young mothers were amongst those who had volunteered to go around the doors soliciting names for the petition, aware that petitions have to be gathered anew for each new planning application.

She said, “The mothers are concerned that this latest mast — 20 metres in height and with 12 antennae — will be right outside their children’s bedroom windows.

“This mast will be an absolute monstrosity in what is a largely residential area. We all feel we absolutely have to protest against it because it will so detrimental to the area.

“We feel there is insufficient operational justification for siting this mast at the shopping centre. It will have a detrimental effect on the environment; it will deny users of the shopping centre car parking spaces on what is an already over-congested car park; it will impede access to the shops for loading purposes and the insensitivity of the location will engender anxiety amongst the residents and that, alone and aside from the risk from microwaves, constitutes a health risk.”

Telecoms company O2 originally applied last year to erect a 12.5-metre mast on the pavement in Nursery Road near the shopping centre. A 765-signature petition and local protest meeting at which O2 representatives were left in no doubt about the strength of opposition, persuaded the company to withdraw the application.

Now, Orange, on behalf of O2 and other telecoms firms, have submitted the new application for the 20-metre mast — complete with seven transmission dishes — on a nearby site. In the process, they would remove the present 15-metre mast that was put up years ago before planning permission was required.

Further confusing the issue, however, is the fact that O2 have resubmitted their application for the Nursery Road pavement mast.

Campaigners have been given permission to re-submit their original petition against the application.

Dr McEwan said she believed the telecoms companies were deliberately choosing the dates on which the applications are submitted in an effort to reduce opposition.

She added, “They submit them shortly before holidays, which I don’t think is just coincidental. I believe it’s all carefully planned, to the detriment of the opposition.”