A homeowner has won a ‘David vs Goliath’ battle with a broadband supplier which after it erected a 40ft-high pole next to his house without consultation.

Philip Waller, 65, went ‘ballistic’ when he returned home from a shopping trip to find that the local broadband provider Connexin had put up the pole just 5 metres from his living room bay windows.

The grandfather-of-ten, from Barnsley, then spent weeks gathering dozens of objection letters from neighbours and lodged complaints with councillors.

The company rebuffed his claims, saying the pole had been ‘installed within the approved area’ and it was ‘unable to relocate’ it. 

But Philip later contacted his local Barnsley councillor who later uncovered that the pole had been put up without ‘due process’ and has now ordered it to be removed within two weeks. 

Philip Waller, 65, returned from a shopping trip last week to find that a broadband firm had erected a pole (pictured) outside his house in Barnsley

Phillip is seen stood next to the 40ft-high pole which was erected next to his house without consultation

Local broadband provider Connexin put up the pole 5 metres from his living room windows

Relieved Philip, who had feared his £300,000 bungalow would be left ‘worthless’ if the pole stayed up, said: ‘It is a bit of a ‘David and Goliath’ situation.

‘We’ve only won because what they’ve done is illegal, but if I had not objected, it would be there forever.

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‘The big issue I have is these companies think they can steamroll over people.

‘The next government needs to reveal their position on giving companies carte blanche to put the poles up wherever they want.’

Philip, a company director, said he had left his three-bedroom home to do some shopping on May 30.

And his wife then received a knock at the door from some workman, who said they had come to fit ‘something to read water smart meters’.

But just ten minutes later, she found to her horror they were putting up a towering pole just six inches (2.5cm) from the driveway entrance.

Philip, who arrived home to see the pylon up, said: ‘I sort of went ballistic, as one does.

‘We had no prior warning, but apparently the company is not obliged to give 28 days’ notice any more because the pole is covered by fibre optic roll-out regulations.

‘It’s roughly 12m high, it’s literally about six inches from my driveway, and it’s a car’s width – about 5m max – from the window.’

Philip had feared his £300,000 bungalow would be left ‘worthless’ if the pole stayed up

Philip said he was particularly concerned about how the pole would affect the price of his property.

He added: ‘I was mainly worried about the depreciation of the house.

‘If the pole was left in front of the bungalow, it would be worthless. I definitely wouldn’t buy it.

‘I have got a house in Burgundy, France. In a similar situation, the pole would be burned down by now.’

Philip immediately started speaking to neighbours about the incident and wrote to Connexin to voice his anger at what they had done.

But in written correspondence, the firm claimed it had the right to put up the pylon as it had obtained the correct permission from the local council.

A representative had informed Philip: ‘Unfortunately, it has been decided by the Planning Team that this pole will remain in it’s [sic] current position.

‘When sending a proposed pole location to the councils [sic] Highways and Planning Department, we do always have a few metres flexibility due to the chance that utilities may be discovered on the day of the install, which makes the planned location unsuitable.

‘Due to this, the pole has been installed within the approved area for the pole. We would be unable to relocate the pole, we are very sorry for any inconvenience caused.’

But Philip kept fighting his corner and got in touch with Barnsley councillor James Higginbottom, the cabinet spokesperson for Environment and Highways.

And his inquiries revealed that Connexin did not have the right to erect the pole.

Mr Higginbottom said: ‘I completely understand Mr Waller’s frustration and I have been supporting him in this matter.

‘I am pleased to confirm that due process was not followed when this pole was erected and notice has been served to order its removal.

‘No-one objects to necessary infrastructure being built but this needs to be done properly and in a manner that doesn’t cause unnecessary nuisance to local residents.’

Philip advised other homeowners who found broadband poles in front of their properties to raise objections and not to give up.

He said about dealing with the communications companies who are responsible for them: ‘Don’t believe the words that they tell you.

‘Contact your local council and find out if they do have a license to put up the pole.’

Connexin has been contacted for comment.