Manx Telecom telegraph pole plans thrown out over visual concerns

Committee rules visual harm outweighs broadband rollout benefits in Peel and Glen Vine, despite approval recommendations

Plans to install a series of telegraph poles in Peel and Glen Vine to support the Island’s fibre broadband rollout have been turned down by the planning committee, despite planning officers recommending approval in line with government priorities.

Five applications - which were all submitted by Manx Telecom - sought permission to erect timber telegraph poles approximately nine metres high in residential streets to deliver fibre optic connections to homes.

Planning officers supported the proposals, citing the Isle of Man’s National Broadband Plan, which aims to provide fibre-to-the-premises coverage to more than 99 percent of properties by 2029, funded in part through an £11.63 million government subsidy.

Peel applications

In Peel, four separate schemes covering estates at Creggans Avenue, Corrins Way, Ballaquane Park and Rheast Bridson were considered.

Each attracted formal objections from Peel Town Commissioners, who argued the poles would cause visual clutter and damage residential amenity, while residents raised concerns about property values, safety and storm damage.

Planning officers acknowledged the streets currently have no telegraph poles, meaning the installations would represent a visible change. However, they concluded the impact was not severe and should be outweighed by the public benefit of extending fibre coverage in a ‘priority intervention zone’.

Committee members disagreed, expressing particular concern about the impact on estates of bungalows and cul-de-sacs.

Mr Skelton said the approach was “not futureproofing” and described it as “a nonsense”, while Mrs Hughes noted that underground cabling would be preferable. Mr Warren and Mr Whiteway also warned the poles would be visually intrusive.

All four Peel applications were ultimately refused.

Glen Vine application

A separate application for three poles on Ballagarey Road and Alexander Road in Glen Vine was also rejected.

Objectors argued the scheme was disproportionate, with three poles serving only four houses.

Planning officers said while the poles would alter the appearance of the street, they supported the Island Plan’s objectives and infrastructure policies.

But committee members raised stronger objections: Mr Whiteway said the visual intrusion was “absolutely ridiculous”, Mrs Hughes described the scheme as “disproportionate”, and Mr Skelton criticised the use of what he called an “archaic solution”.

“Visual intrusion”

Across all five applications, committee members weighed the visual impact against government targets for fibre rollout.

Mrs Hughes observed that one Peel proposal would have connected 46 properties with just four poles, but said she was not persuaded to approve it. Miss Betteridge and Mr Young also highlighted the weight given to local authority opposition.

While officers had recommended approval with conditions, including a requirement to remove poles within six months of redundancy, the planning committee ruled instead that the visual harm outweighed the strategic benefits in these cases.

Manx Telecom statement

We respect the views of the Isle of Man community and appreciate that residents care about how infrastructure is delivered. At the same time, we face the challenge of completing one of the largest infrastructure projects ever undertaken here: building a full fibre island before the copper network is decommissioned in 2029.

Our approach prioritises existing underground ducting and third-party infrastructure wherever possible. Every site is carefully surveyed to explore underground options first. Only when these methods are unsuitable do we proceed with overhead deployment using poles. This is not an antiquated solution but a modern, widely used method that allows connections to be made quickly, cost-effectively, and with less disruption than extensive excavation. On the Isle of Man, where many buried cables are difficult to access or replace, poles often provide the only practical route to ensure no community is left behind.

To minimise the need for new poles, we have already reused 1,878 existing poles and repurposed infrastructure such as abandoned water mains, the Sulby reservoir tunnel, and the Douglas Promenade works. We acknowledge the planning committee’s decision and will work constructively with all stakeholders to find a viable solution for this area.

Manx Telecom remains committed to delivering reliable, high-speed fibre across the Isle of Man by 2029, when the copper network will be decommissioned. With the switch-off approaching, collaborative problem-solving will be vital to achieving this shared national goal and ensuring all communities can take part in the island’s digital future.