West Dorset’s MP Chris Loder has succeeded in stopping almost 20 telegraph poles from being constructed over land within Dorset’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty surrounding Eggardon Hill near West Compton and Askerswell.
The poles were expected to be erected on the 17th November by telecommunications company, Openreach. In spite of serious concerns being raised by the local community, permitted development rights meant that Openreach had no legal barriers to moving ahead with the project.
After a number of interventions from the local MP with both Openreach and the Government, Openreach announced that they would instead look to explore other options such as laying the cabling underground. Mr Loder said;
“After escalating my concerns over the threat posed to our Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and writing to the Government, I am very pleased to see that Openreach have finally acted in the best interests of West Dorset and with huge thanks to the generosity and co operation of local landowners, we can now work for a solution that is in West Dorset’s best interests”.
