RESIDENTS have spoken of their anger after telegraph poles were placed just metres away from homes in Southampton.
Last week, telegraph poles were erected at Seacombe Green in Millbrook after a notice had previously been given to residents that they would be placed on “the verge”.
But having been placed just 10ft from people’s homes, those living in the area are angry as they say these have not been put in the correct place.
The definition of a “grass verge” is “a strip of grass at the side of road, track, or path”, but residents say this is not where the poles have been placed, as they are instead now on grass patches which border homes.
One resident, Peter Harris, 63, described the new installations as an “eyesore” and claimed that he challenged the people putting in the pole about its location, but they refused to move it.
But Openreach, the company responsible for the new poles said that it has “strict checks” in place.
This comes after residents in Thornhill launched a petition against “unnecessary” telegraph poles in their area that were installed by broadband provider, Toob.
Peter said: “It’s affecting me because I look outside the front door and I’ve got this telegraph pole 10ft away from my house. It would be another 20ft away from the house if they’d put it on the verge.
“They’re putting them up anywhere they feel like it.”
Peter added that he thinks the pole has now devalued his property by about £10,000 and added that the people installing the pole even drove their van on the grass.
Another resident explained that no one came to the homes and asked how residents felt about the poles being put outside the houses.
A spokesperson for Openreach added though: “We carry out strict checks to make sure new equipment follows the correct process. We are investigating to find out what’s happened in this case.
“Wherever we can, we use our existing duct-and-pole network to avoid digging and disruption for residents..
“We strive to select and site our infrastructure sensitively, balancing this with the need to meet local demand for broadband, TV and other communication services.”
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