A huge thank you to everyone in Whinmoor and surrounding communities for the incredible energy over the last 24hrs. It is so good to see the community coming together like this—the momentum is building fast, and it’s clear we aren't going to let our skyline be ruined without a fight.
It’s actually quite impressive that a multi-million-pound company thinks they can "modernize" us by dragging us back to 19th-century technology. We were all under the impression the future meant invisible, high-speed infrastructure, but Giggle Fibre has swooped in to show us that the real peak of human achievement is actually 30ft wooden sticks and a tangled web of sagging overhead wires. It’s a bold "retro" look and we’re supposed to be grateful they’ve ignored 45 years of underground planning just so we can have these lovely Victorian-style washing lines outside our windows.
The reality is that it is incredibly difficult for ordinary communities to challenge these goliath companies. Too often, residents’ voices are drowned out because these companies use legal "permitted development" loopholes to bypass the traditional planning process. This means they can legally install poles up to 15 metres high without needing full planning permission or conducting a proper public consultation. While this might be technically "legal" under current regulations, it doesn't mean it’s right. We believe our community deserves to be heard and that these companies should be held to a higher moral standard than just the bare minimum they can get away with in a courtroom.
We also have to ask: does this cheaper infrastructure and padded profit margin mean residents will be given significant fibre discounts to make up for the damage to our house prices? Evidence suggests that visual clutter and intrusive utility poles can negatively impact property values—in some cases by as much as 10% to 20%—as "kerb appeal" is a massive factor for buyers. If we are the ones taking the financial hit on our biggest assets, why are we subsidising Giggle’s savings?
There will always be people who don't care about keeping our community looking like a modern, planned estate and are happy to give private companies a complete free-for-all. They seem fine with Giggle bypassing residents and refusing to show us exactly how many people in Whinmoor have actually specifically "signed up" for overhead cables rather than underground fibre. We shouldn't be forced to deal with an eyesore just because a company wants to dodge the hard work and cost of digging.
How you can help right now:
Share this post: Get it on your wall and into every Leeds group you know.
Talk to your neighbours: Not everyone is on Facebook. If you have neighbours who aren't tech-savvy, please ask if you can sign the petition on their behalf. We need every voice to count.
Email the big players: Use the details below to flood their inboxes.
Speak up for the community: Reference this petition when contacting below using link https://c.org/ZVLBDtn2G7
Giggle Fibre: Tell them we object to the poles and demand they stick to the original underground design (Planning Ref: H32/1072/78).
Email: enquiries@gigglefibre.co.uk
Richard Burgon MP: He’s helped other areas like Garforth stop these poles before—let's make sure he hears us.
Email: richard@richardburgon.com
OFCOM: Report the lack of notice and the siting of these poles directly through their monitoring form:
Link: https://ofcomlive.my.salesforce-sites.com/formentry/SitesFormCCTMonitoring
We aren't "easy marks." If they can't afford to dig, they shouldn't be in Whinmoor.