Bury: IX Wireless fined after carrying out unauthorised work

IX Wireless Limited was granted permission for a "trial dig" on land on Rollesby Close.

But the firm decided to build underground chambers and fitted telecommunication at the site.

Land on Rollesby Close (Image: Public)

The council said that after it came to their attention last month that the work undertaken was not in the reasons for the permit, they used their enforcement powers and issued a fixed penalty notice to IX Wireless.

Eleven days after the work was closed as completed on September 9 but before the fine was issued on October 25, IX Wireless donated £5,000 to Bury North MP James Daly.

In the MPs’ register of interests, published by the UK parliament the money was listed by Mr Daly as "for my campaigns".

Mr Daly was one of 15 MPs, all Conservative, who collectively received £71,301 in donations from IX Wireless in September this year.

There is no suggestion of impropriety in the donations.

Elton Conservative councillor Jack Ryheard wrote a letter to IX Wireless, reminding the firm that it was obligated to directly consult residents about plans to install cabled or wireless communication infrastructure.

He said: “We are writing to you about your recent digging up of a residential estate in Elton ward in Bury.

“A number of residents have contacted us to express their concerns about your actions.

“After consulting with the council team, we were beyond astounded and alarmed to learn that you have failed to consult with the council as the planning or highway authority about any intention to install poles or equipment.

“As you will quite obviously know, your granted streetworks permit was for investigatory trial holes, not for anything beyond that.

“It is quite simply unacceptable that you have acted arbitrarily to install underground chambers. You have rightly received a fixed penalty notice for this.”

IX Wireless has been ordered to pay £120 for breaching the permit conditions. 

A council spokesperson said: “IX Wireless had been granted a street works permit for a trial dig to determine the location of services in Rollesby Close, Bury.

“The permit was closed as completed on September 9 after which it came to our attention that they had instead installed underground equipment.

“As this was not the reason given by them in their application, a fixed penalty notice of £ 120 was issued for breach of permit conditions.

"IX Wireless accepted the fixed penalty notice on October 25."

Blackburn-based IX Wireless LTD did not respond to requests for comment.

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