Want a driveway but telephone pole in the way.

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frash

Registered User
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Hi - hopefully someone has experienced something like this before.

I'm thinking of buying a 2nd hand property in a cul-de-sac where a lot of the houses have driveways but "my" house doesn't.

I'd imagine applying for planning permission should be straight forward as a precedent has been set with the other driveways.

BUT...

Outside of "my" house is a telephone pole which would block the driveway.

Has anyone ever heard of asking for a telephone pole to be moved & what was the outcome?

Thanks!
 
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Morning, I had a similar problem with an ESB pole and they moved it for me. It took a few weeks to get done but they did it no problem. I'm sure if you rang eircom and explained your story they should not have a problem obliging you. Better still, if you know someone who works in eircom, ask them about it. Good luck.
 
Actually I had just assumed it was a telephone pole & not an ESB one.

I'll have to double check at the next viewing.

Is it easy enough to spot the difference?
 
I couldn't tell you how to spot the difference but just be aware that you will have to pay eircom/their subcontractor to move their pole. Maybe it varies from location to location but it isn't cheap and they don't tell you the final price up front in my experience. Good luck!
 
Eircom will look for over €300 up front before they'll even look at it, then they will deduct the deposit from the final price for the work. Probably looking at €1500 all in.
 
im not completely sure of this... but i think there is some allowance if the pole is located on land under your ownership, and not on public land... is this the case???
 
Thanks for the link Sueellen - yikes - 3145 euro for moving a telephone pole!

Sydthebeat - the pole in question (now unsure if it's telephone or ESB) is on the footpath outside (what might in the future be) my house.
 
probably a stupid question, but is there no way you can arrange the driveway so that the pole doesnt interfere with it???

is this a house in an estate??
 
Sydthebeat - yes the house is in an estate & the pole is fairly centered outside so if the house is to get a driveway then the pole needs to be moved 5 or 6 feet left or right.

Galwaytt - the pole is on the footpath outside the house so not part of the house's boundry
 
lets assume the dwelling is a semi d.... the site frontage will be at least 7.5 m... half of this is 3.75 m.... thats loads to get a car past..... a car parking space is only 2.5 m...

just locate the proposed drive on the estate entrance side and it should never be an issue.....
 
Hi, what would happen if you accidently tipped the pole with your car (JCB) and the pole was unsafe would they j=have to straighten? remove same.
 
Planning permission sometimes includes the moving of poles / obstructions as a condition in the interests of safety.
Regarding the suggestion of "accidentally" knocking the pole, Eircom will just put a new one back in the exact same spot or straighten it (and report the incident to the Garda !! )
 

Thanks for all the replies to this.
Sydthebeat - the house is an end of terrace & yes usually there would be around 7.5m frontage but it's on a tight corner wherby the frontage is quite short but the width of the end wall of the back garden is especially wide (hope you can picture this)

Basically if there is to be a driveway then the pole has to be moved
 
sounds like you're up the river without a paddle if you don't move it frash...
 
i suppose the positive side of all this is that you can use the pole problem as a bargaining tool when/if it comes to negotiating! Put it anopther way, use the pole as a weapon! !
 
If it is a telephone pole then you need to contact plantalterations@eircom.ie (I think that's the email) Give them the location and your contact numbers, they will look for a survey fee (€300 approx) which is deductable from the final payment. After the survey you will get a price for the job, once you agree and pay they will move the pole.

In my experience it will cost a bit more to have it moved if the pole is set in concete and they may even have to apply to the local authority for permission with a further cost to finish the old and new poles holes to their standard.
 
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