Manx Telecom’s ultra-fast broadband roll-out ambitions have suffered another blow at the hands of the island’s planning committee.

The committee rejected no fewer than four applications to install telegraph poles to provide fibre optic connections to homes - overturning the recommendation of the planning officer.

In each case they concluded that the siting, height, size and scale of the poles would have a negative visual impact on the character of the street scene to an unacceptable degree.

A raft of previous applications by MT have been thrown out for the same reasons.

At its latest hearing, the planning committee unanimously voted down proposals for three poles on Ballagarey Road and Alexander Road, Glen Vine (25/90401/B), five poles at Ballaquane Park, Peel (265/90400/B) and three poles at Rheast Bridson, Peel (25/90395/B).

There was a split vote on the fourth application for four telegraph poles on Creggans Avenue and Corrin’s Way, Peel (25/90397/B) which was rejected on the casting vote of acting chairman Peter Young.

In the case of Ballagarey Road, members agreed that three telegraph poles to serve only four houses was disproportionate.

A spokesperson from Manx Telecom who attended the hearing advised that alternative methods of supplying the affected properties were considered, though none were as effective as the installation of the telegraph poles.

In the case of Ballaquane Park, they said that underground cabling would be relatively disruptive and costly.

And asked about the provision of ducting at Creggans Avenue and Corrins Way, the MT spokesperson replied that the 1970s-built estates were not designed to support such infrastructure.

MT says it remains committed to delivering full fibre broadband to every household in the island by 2029.

It has pledged to ‘work constructively’ to find a ‘viable solution’ and stressed that overhead cabling is only considered when underground options are unsuitable.