A GROUP of residents in Machynlleth have been left “shocked” after an “eyesore” telegraph pole was installed on their privately-owned green outside their homes.

Homeowners in Garden Village said the imposing telephone pole was “illegally installed” on the private green by BT Openreach on Thursday, 28 August - shutting access to homes for over two hours and cutting telephone and internet services for around two days.

Resident Jason North told the Cambrian News: “This eyesore of a telephone pole has shockingly been installed in the middle of the green on private land owned by residents of Garden Village.

“The pole was installed by stealth tactics without permission or notification to residents of Garden Village on land that is part of our deeds.

“No residents in Garden Village received any letters, or notification of intentions to install the telephone pole.

“While the surrounding highway infrastructure is owned by Powys council, the green belongs to residents who also pay and maintain this area of land.”

An Openreach spokesperson said: “The pole was installed on what we understand to be the public highway, within a metre of the curb line. If that is not the case, we’re happy to look at this again.”

See this week’s Machynlleth & Llanidloes paper for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now