Anger at ‘telecoms invasion’ after protections against telegraph poles 'quietly removed'

An influx of thousands of new broadband poles across Hull and East Yorkshire has been met with anger and frustration by some residents.

In October neighbours blocked contractors with MS3 Networks who were trying to install poles in Hedon’s Westlands Drive. Last month two poles put up on Longhill estate in Hull by MS3 were chopped down.

Campaigners want operators to share existing telegraph poles or use underground infrastructure instead.

East Riding councillors raised concerns with the Government in July, but they “simply refused to respond”, said councillor Phil Redshaw. The Lib Dem councillor represents Cottingham where he estimates 1,300 poles are going up.

Where once there was a single KCom pole near his home, there are now three Connexin poles and two from MS3.

The councillor said s oon fibre optic cables will be strung from pole to pole creating an unsightly “spiders web”.

Coun Redshaw said legislation had failed to keep pace with changing technology. He is calling for a stop to all work pending a market review by the regulator Ofcom.

In Cottingham, Connexin has lodged 27 applications to install poles in conservation areas.

He said East Riding Council appeared “powerless to intervene”, adding: “The Government quietly removed a range of protections for Conservation Areas from the Electronics Communications Code in November 2016.

"They removed all requirements to have infrastructure installed underground and reduced the time to object from 56 to 28 days.”

He said planning officers took legal advice from a specialist barrister and had been advised that conservation areas “now have no more protection than elsewhere”.

Coun Redshaw said: "I am again calling on the Government and Ofcom to intervene and introduce transparent regulations, to impose a duty on Connexin, MS3 and KCOM to reach an agreement to share infrastructure.”

Connexin said they’d applied again for access to KCOM's network and expect an answer early in 2024. A spokesperson added: “We are still finalising plans for Cottingham. We are working with the Local Authority Highways and Planning Department to agree the best approach.”

MS3 Networks said while legally infrastructure sharing is possible, it is not always commercially viable.

It added: “MS3 is in dialogue with Ofcom about potentially raising a dispute against the infrastructure sharing policy of KCOM, the incumbent operator in our principle build areas.” MS3 insisted there was no evidence of “widespread public outrage” and the rollout had been carried out in a manner “ compliant with all regulations and codes of conduct”. KCom previously said they are not stopping anyone from using their infrastructure​​​​​​​​​​​​​​.