A few of you have contacted me about the new broadband poles that have gone up in parts of Grantham. This post sets out what is happening, why it is happening and what powers the council actually has. I want this to be clear and jargon-free so you know what is, and isn’t, in local control.
What is driving the work
Openreach has been upgrading Grantham to gigabit fibre for about a year. Most of this has happened underground, using the existing ducts. In some streets, the old copper cables were buried directly into the ground decades ago, so there is no ducting to pull new fibre through. That is the point where the company switches to poles.
Why are poles used
There are three reasons poles appear.
- No duct exists at all.
- The old duct is blocked or collapsed after 30 to 50 years underground.
- The duct is so congested that it cannot take in new fibre.
When that happens, Openreach has only two practical choices:
- Dig long stretches of new duct at high cost and disruption.
- Install poles.
New ducting in these situations often makes the project uncommercial. The usual outcome would be that the company does not provide fibre to those streets. The pole option keeps the upgrade viable.
What the law allows
Telecom companies operate under OFCOM’s Electronic Communications Code. These Code Powers give companies the legal right to install cabinets, cables and poles on, under or over land. Under these rules:
- They do not need planning permission for standard poles.
- They do not need the county council’s consent.
- Their only duty is to place a notice on the pole so residents know who is installing it and why.
The guidance is clear about one point: providers do not need prior approval from local authorities.
This means the council cannot veto poles. The council can only check safety, traffic management during works and basic compliance with the notification rules.
What is happening locally
LCC has confirmed:
- Openreach’s upgrade in Grantham has been ongoing for around a year.
- Most work has been underground.
- Poles have only been used where no usable duct exists.
- There are no further outstanding requests for new poles at this point.
What you can expect next
If Openreach identifies further streets without ducts, they may consider poles again, but the council will be told after the notice goes up, not before. That is how the national system is set up.
If you have a specific location you are worried about, send it to me, and I will check the latest position.