- Has a pole been erected outside YOUR home? Email katherine.lawton@mailonline.co.uk
A homeowner has revealed how an ‘eyesore’ broadband pole installed just 15cm away from his garden is causing a stink.
John Rowlands, from Gosport, Portsmouth, claimed no one on his estate was notified or consulted when telecoms firm Toob turned up and erected around ten huge masts.
One of the poles, allegedly towering at nearly 10-metres tall, was placed directly over Mr Rowlands’ garden, which he says is ruining his view.
To make matters worse, the homeowner claims the mast is covered in smelly creosote – a tar-like substance often found in chimneys – which is blown off the pole in the wind and sticks to clothes on the washing line.
Mr Rowlands is the latest furious resident to tell MailOnline about their telegraph pole nightmare – with many claiming masts are spoiling the appearance of their house and even blocking driveways.
Speaking to MailOnline, Mr Rowlands said: ‘It towers 10 metres over our back garden, is only seven metres from our patio and is an absolute eyesore. We strongly object to its position.
‘We fear it may negatively affect the value of our property. We use our garden patio a lot in the summer and one place we sit in the shade is only a matter of two or three metres from the pole. It’s not a nice thing to have to look at.’
Has a pole been erected outside YOUR home? Email katherine.lawton@mailonline.co.uk
The view from John Rowlands’ garden in Gosport, Portsmouth, which shows the telegraph pole
John Rowlands (pictured) called the pole next to his garden an ‘eyesore’ and claimed it is almost 10 metres tall
The telegraph pole on the other side of Mr Rowlands’ garden wall. The homeowner said the mast and the wall are just 15cm apart
Mr Rowlands claimed the masts are covered in smelly creosote – a tar-like substance often found in chimneys
Mr Rowlands said Toob arrived on January 16 this year to erect the ‘ugly’ poles on his road.
He claimed residents had not been told prior to the installation, with a letter informing locals only arriving the day after they were put up.
Months later, Mr Rowlands said he received a letter from Toob informing him that the pole will not be moved.
The homeowner added that he has been in contact with his MP and council but they do not have the authority to have the pole removed, as it is legal for it to be there.
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‘We’re really annoyed it’s spoilt our back garden, and for my neighbours as well,’ he said.
Speaking about his laundry being ruined, Mr Rowlands said: ‘Our washing line is about 5cm from it, so when the wind blew, it blew creosote onto our washing.’
Creosote has a distinct smell, which has been likened to the scent of burnt tar or mothballs.
A spokesperson for Toob said: ‘We received overwhelming support for our Gosport network build and invested over £10million in the area while covering more than 30,000 premises.
‘In Field Close, the telegraph poles are currently serving households with our affordable highspeed full-fibre broadband, and our customers there are very happy with their upgraded service.
‘We always want to be considerate of the communities in which we work, and we plan our network very carefully to minimise any impact our build may have. We use telegraph poles that comply with industry standards, using typical pole preservation methods.
‘There are currently around four million telegraph poles across the UK that use the same methods.’
The homeowner said around 10 telegraph poles were erected on his Gosport estate (pictured)
Mr Rowlands said Toob arrived on January 16 this year to erect the ‘ugly’ poles on his road
One of the poles on Mr Rowlands’ estate, which is directly opposite a house and installed on the pavement
The homeowner said the poles are covered in creosote – a tar-like substance often found in chimneys
The pole sits right next to Mr Rowlands’ garden wall, and he says it is obstructing his view
They added: ‘During our consultation, Mr Rowlands raised a concern over the location of the poles, and we entered into dialogue. Our last communication on this matter from Mr Rowlands was in March. We would urge Mr Rowlands to contact us directly if he would like to discuss anything further.
‘We engage with residents ahead of time and take their views into account, changing our network plans where possible. Unfortunately, we are not always able to accommodate every resident, and we remain mindful of this impact to individuals while assessing the digital access needs of the wider community.’
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Furious locals slam 50ft fast-internet mast that is ruining their ‘scenic’ area
In September, homeowners in Great Harwood, Lancashire, slammed a huge fast-internet mast installed on their estate that they claimed resembled a missile or NASA rocket.
The 50ft pole was placed on the corner of Bostons and Causeway by IX Wireless Network to provide 6G internet but left many residents fuming.
Lisa Denicola, who has lived on Bostons in Great Harwood for 15 years, said around 30 people in the neighbourhood objected to the mast’s installation and had various concerns about its implications on the value of their properties, wildlife and health.
An IX Wireless spokesperson said at the time: ‘The company is keen to work with local residents and welcome any input which can help to improve our service. Where possible we have made efforts to move structures and poles after speaking to members of the community.
‘This pole was due to be moved to a new location but this was not possible as the company must give a specified time – 28 days – for any objections to be forwarded. There have been no objections as far as we are aware so the pole is due to be moved at the end of the month.’