Shola Lee
A man claims his property has decreased in value by a whopping £10,000 after a giant pole was put up just outside.
Homeowner Brian Swanson was 'livid' when a pole was erected outside the flat he's owned for 15 years in Wolverhampton.
According to the 61-year-old, his property is now worth £10,000 less than if he has sold before the pole was put up.
Advert
Swanson was said to have noticed the pole when he went to collect his post and check meter readings last month.
A spokesperson for the Wolverhampton Council said the 5G mast was erected by the phone network Three.
Speaking on the issue, Swanson said that he had hopes to move into the flat as a retirement property, but that it would now be worth considerably less if if he were to sell.
He said: "I was livid to tell you the truth. I haven't got a clue where to complain to but will do as soon as I find out.
Advert
"I don't live there but have owned the flat for 15 years and rented it out. I wanted to move there as a retirement home for myself, as it had lovely views of the park."
Swanson went on to say that he has family across the country and abroad, who he was hoping could come and visit the flat.
However, when he popped by the flat earlier this month, he says he looked out of his window and thought: "What the hell is that?"
"There was just a great big grey mast right outside of the window," Swanson noted.
When asked if he feared the mast would affect his property value, he replied: "Absolutely. Nobody wants to see a great big mast with a box at the side.
Advert
"It has definitely reduced the value. I know that I wouldn't buy a home with a huge mast straight in front of the window. I want to get a valuation but I would say it's knocked off about £10,000."
He added that there were 'plenty of parklands' where the pole 'could have been hidden' but that he 'had no notification of it beforehand'.
However, the City of Wolverhampton Council said that the correct procedure was followed in relation to notifying residents about the pole but that they ultimately have 'limited control over the installation of telecommunications masts'.
"We placed site notices at the location on 3 August 2021 inviting comments about the planned mast and also included the proposal on our website," the council spokesperson noted.
Advert
They added: "No objections or comments were received in this case."
A spokesperson for Three told LADbible: "5G rollout is vital for residents and businesses of Wolverhampton.
"We want to offer the community a reliable network experience and this site is critical to making that happen.
"Masts need to be situated where people will be using the service and, in precise locations to ensure the widest breadth of coverage.
"We carried out extensive searches and surveys to evaluate siting options before applying for planning permission on Patshull Avenue.
Advert
"Wolverhampton City Council granted planning permission in September 2021.”