Appeals to revive plans for two 15m-tall 5G phone masts next to busy city roads have been met with a split decision.
The national Planning Inspectorate has decided to approve a mast by the Fiveways roundabout in Earlham, but have refused plans for a mast off Newmarket Road.
The plans - which were both submitted by telecoms company CK Hutchinson - were rejected by Norwich City Council last year.
City Hall officers used delegated powers in March to reject the proposed Newmarket Road mast and associated cabinets because of the impact in a designated conservation area.
The mast would have been immediately outside the Grade II listed Town Close School and land identified in the council's local plan as open space and woodland.
Officers then rejected plans for a mast on a grass verge close to the Fiveways petrol station in Earlham.
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In that instance, officers did not have an issue with the siting of the 15m tall mast - but said the equipment cabinets proposed to accompany the mast exceeded the maximum ground area for such a development permitted by policies.
CK Hutchinson - the company behind the proposals - subsequently launched appeals against both decisions and the matter was handed over to the Planning Inspectorate.
Inspectors deemed the mast off the Fiveways roundabout acceptable as the proposed size would not violate any development policies or "obscure the visibility" of drivers exiting the Tesco site.
Concerns around its proximity to nearby protected trees were also dismissed.
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However, the appeal for a mast in Newmarket Road was dismissed by the inspector.
That report said the development would "fail to preserve or enhance the character or appearance" of what is a designated conservation area.
It added: "The public benefits of the proposal, including the economic and social benefits of upgrading electronic communication infrastructure, are noted.
"However, these benefits would be limited primarily to customers of the network provider, in the local area.
"Accordingly, the benefits would not outweigh the harm that the siting and appearance of the proposed installation would cause to the CA, having regard to the fact that the potential availability of alternative sites has not been satisfactorily ruled out."
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