The figure was released at a full Pembrokeshire County Council council meeting last week.

This is likely to be only a fraction of the cost of the appeal to the rate payer as costs were awarded to MMO2.

The council has not yet received a claim for costs from the developer of the controversial mast.

Pembrokeshire County Council officers originally made a recommendation for approval of the mast but the councillors did not follow that recommendation and refused planning permission for MMO2 to erect a TETRA mast at Uzmaston.

Last year the telecommunications giant appealed against the council’s decision to the Welsh Assembly Appointed Planning inspectorate.

The council reached its original decision after village residents expressed mounting fears over the safety and health implications of the TETRA system.

Various scientists have claimed the high frequency used by the system could interfere with normal human brain activity in people either operating the receivers or living and working near the transmitting base stations.

Opposition groups have also claimed that frequencies above 16hz (TETRA operates at 17.6hz) could interfere with the human immune system and may lead to an increased likelihood of some forms of cancer.

MMO2 Airwave appealed the decision maintaining that their system fully complied with all necessary policies and guidelines.

According to the company, Pembrokeshire County Council should not have refused its initial application on health grounds when no concrete scientific evidence exists to back up residents' claims.