Residents are being urged to challenge a telecommunications provider as signs for new 15m masts have been put in place.
Several Unsworth residents have expressed their concerns after signs appeared in the area, stating that IX Wireless will be installing 15m masts in the area.
The company, which has caused controversy across Bury and Bolton, are authorised to install masts without any prior consultation as long as they are a maximum height of 15m.
Read more: IX Wireless protest in Bolton with hundreds gathering
Having received a number of concerns, Unsworth’s Labour councillors are urging locals to challenge the installations by contacting and complaining to IX Wireless directly at info@ixwbuild.co.uk
Cllr Tahir Rafiq said: “A number of Unsworth residents have been in touch with us to express their concerns about signs for IX Wireless masts, and installation thereof, which have appeared across our community.
“There is a mast proposal for outside a residency on Parr Lane, where an elderly lady, who is registered blind lives.
“The sign of notice for that pole is some 50ft down the road, and had I not picked that up and informed the poor lady, she would never have known.”
Cllr Rafiq added that he and other councillors have requested a suspension of installations until IX can meet with residents and councillors about their concerns.
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He said: “The company representative stated that they will put the proposal forward to the ‘higher people of the organisation’ and it will be for them to decide whether they could accommodate any meeting.
“The representative confirmed that any such meeting would be limited to explaining only what they were doing and giving information.
“We will also be supporting a petition for residents to complain about this and will continue to stand with the community on this and all community issues.”
The councillors added that challenging the installations may not mean the masts are removed completely, but it could result in them moving to another location if deemed necessary by the company’s surveyor.
He said: “This could happen where there is an obstruction to a driveway or highway.
“As councillors, we asked IX what the specifications of their apparatus were and what is sunk underground and on pavements.
“The company have responded that there will be a telegraph post near the cabinets which will be away from the residential houses.
“There would be street posts along the roads where marked with notices, such street posts being 15ft above the ground and 4ft in the ground, that will carry fibre cables only.
"There are some worries in the community that the poles are larger than 15m high.”
The Labour representatives say that if they are not satisfied with the response from IX or the way the issue is handled, then they will escalate it to Ofcom, which is its regulator.
In response, an IX Wireless spokesperson said: “We are speaking to council officials over any concerns local residents may have about the rollout.
“This is part of the regular meetings and conversations the company has with council executives and elected officials to help resolve any communication issues.
“We are also keen to speak to local resident groups and dispel any misconceptions about the installations.
“With regards to the height of structures, the industry is heavily regulated and all structures go through stringent tests and conform to industry standards.”
For more information about the petition, see here.
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