Community hit back after telecoms mast is 'plonked' in park without warning

An ‘eyesore’ telecoms mast was 'plonked' in a park with no warning, the local council have claimed.

West Barns Community Council (WBCC) said Openreach had not informed locals before erecting the metal tower on playing fields near West Barns primary school, East Lothian.

The structure appeared behind a goal post with a note stuck to it claiming it was made of wood.

WBCC secretary Jacquie Bell said: "There was no warning of the pole coming or what it is for. A notice describes it as a wooden pole which it most definitely is not."

Council vice-chair Andrew Ashton said its arrival near West Barns primary school was ‘unsettling’.

He said: "On the piece of paper they stuck to the metal pole they said it would be wooden.

"It is more the lack of consultation as well as the positioning and not knowing what it is going to be used for. They have kept the community in the dark and we have a right to know when things will be constructed in our area.

"The positioning is questionable as well with it right behind the goal posts – it is going to get hit a lot by stray footballs."

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A statement from Openreach sent to Yahoo News UK said: "We’re building a new, ultrafast broadband network in Dunbar to give local people access to gigabit-capable broadband.

"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.

"Network providers have a right to install telecoms infrastructure on public land, and Openreach follows a statutory process.

"There’s no requirement to inform residents in advance, but we give local authorities 28 days’ notice, and liaise with them if they raise any concerns.

"We are investigating to find out what’s happened in this case."

East Lothian Council, which owns the fields, said it was trying to establish whether the structure has passed through the proper steps.

A spokesperson said: "We are now investigating to establish whether or not the structure constitutes a breach of planning control."

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