The Whinmoor Community Collective has reached a significant milestone of 281 verified households. We have received a formal response from Giggle Fibre, which provides several key points of data for our review. In their correspondence, Giggle Fibre states that their wider Leeds rollout utilizes over 2,800 existing poles and 200,000 meters of cable through existing infrastructure. While they maintain that their design process reviews existing routes to determine viability, they have acknowledged that our collective objections regarding property impact, safety, and underground alternatives have now been escalated for a "location-specific review."

In our technical rebuttal, we have requested that Giggle Fibre provide the specific "Options Appraisal" and business case that led them to conclude that underground ducting was non-viable for Whinmoor, despite it being viable for 200,000 meters of their network elsewhere. We have formally questioned their reliance on Section 58 exemptions, noting that a single customer connection does not inherently grant a mandate for a full-scale overhead network build. Furthermore, we have demanded that each proposed pole location be audited for compliance with the 1.5m unimpeded footway width required by DfT "Inclusive Mobility" and the Equality Act 2010. This is especially critical on our high-frequency bus routes and designated "Safe Routes to School."

Our latest communication also addresses the protection of Whinmoor’s green assets, specifically noting that infrastructure must not encroach upon Skelton Woods or our community rugby fields. We have formally highlighted the "Right to Maintenance," noting that poles placed in close proximity to residential facades may interfere with a homeowner’s ability to safely use scaffolding or ladders. Finally, we have raised the issue of structural integrity where poles are marked on recently resurfaced paths.

Continue to share and ensure that our community is heard - below is the full response to the above.

To the Community Engagement and Legal Teams of Giggle Fibre,

Please be advised that this correspondence serves as a formal collective objection and a "Notice of Foreseeable Risk" on behalf of 281 verified households and growing across the Whinmoor area. Our records indicate that your proposed installations throughout Whinmoor represent an unsustainable and disproportionate use of Permitted Development Rights that fails to meet the necessity test required by the Electronic Communications Code. We specifically challenge your reliance on Section 58 of the New Roads and Street Works Act (NRSWA). A Section 58 restriction generally provides an exemption for "new customer connections," but this is a narrow provision intended for individual service drops, not a "blanket justification" to bypass street works restrictions to build out an entirely new, unrequested overhead network. Attempting to use a single potential connection to justify ward-wide infrastructure is a clear overreach of your statutory powers and an abuse of the permit system. We further note that several proposed pole locations have been marked on recently resurfaced footpaths. We demand confirmation as to whether a site-specific structural audit has been conducted for every individual pole to ensure that drilling does not compromise the integrity of these newly improved public assets, leading to premature degradation and a waste of public funds. As you have formally stated this area is under "location-specific review," we consider any attempt to commence work prior to the conclusion of a transparent, documented consultation with the 281 objectors and local councillors to be a bad-faith breach of your own stated process.

Furthermore, we contend that choosing overhead infrastructure based primarily on profit margins is not a sufficient legal or ethical justification for the permanent degradation of Whinmoor's visual amenity and pedestrian safety. Under the Electronic Communications Code, operators are required to consider sharing infrastructure and using underground routes where viable. We formally request that the full business case and "Options Appraisal" for the Whinmoor rollout be shared with the Community Collective, specifically detailing why existing ducting and shared infrastructure were deemed non-viable for each specific segment. Additionally, we must explicitly state that Permitted Development rights do not grant Giggle Fibre the authority to encroach upon Whinmoor’s protected green spaces, including Skelton Woods and the community rugby fields. Any attempt to situate infrastructure on these lands will be treated as a direct trespass and a violation of the local environmental character. We also formally object to any installations that obstruct the ability of homeowners to access, paint, or maintain their own properties. The placement of poles in close proximity to residential facades creates a permanent physical barrier to the safe use of ladders and scaffolding, interfering with the fundamental right of a homeowner to maintain their asset, this includes their boundaries.

We further challenge the technical legality of your site design regarding the mandatory requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and the Department for Transport’s "Inclusive Mobility" standards. As these proposed pole locations sit on high-frequency bus routes and primary "Safe Routes to School," the burden of proof rests with Giggle Fibre to demonstrate that every installation leaves a minimum unimpeded footway width of 1.5 meters. Given the high levels of pedestrian congestion during school runs and community sports events at Whinmoor Warriors, any reduction in pavement width creates a significant safety bottleneck. We demand individual site-specific measurements for every proposed installation, as generic templates fail to account for the unique safety hazards of these heavily-trafficked corridors. Furthermore, we draw your attention to the history of planning precedent within Whinmoor, where previous applications for high-level infrastructure have been refused on the grounds of highway safety and visual impact. By ignoring these 281 formal objections and the associated safety, maintenance, and structural risks, Giggle Fibre accepts full legal and financial liability for any subsequent accidents, obstructions, or property damage.

Kind regards,

The Whinmoor Community Collective