A builder who was forced to construct a house around a lamppost has defended his decision after facing criticism.
Dave Green, 52, noticed that one lamppost on Whiteacre Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, was set back further than the others and was right where the fascias of the house were supposed to go.
Despite this, he went ahead with the construction and incorporated the lamppost into the roof tiles.
After a photo of the unusual house was shared online, one person joked: “The cost of street lighting going through the roof!”
A local resident said: “It does look odd. To me, it’s the council’s fault. They’ve approved the plans knowing the lamp post was there.”
However, Dave insists that this is only a temporary measure until the council moves the lamppost.
He explained: “I said to the owner at the beginning, we need to move the lamp post. Everything runs level with the pavement on that road, all the houses are level, I can’t move that one back. I’ve built it how it is set out in the drawings, that end house is nearly finished, we’ve got the plasterers in and they’re nearly done.”
“We had to seal it and make it secure otherwise it would have been damp. The fascias are pinned in, there’s no soffits underneath and we’ve sealed it or we’d have just held the job up three months. It’ll be a case of moving a couple of tiles, letting the council remove the lamppost, then we can patch it up and fit the soffits.”
A representative from Tameside Council noted: “We have spoken to the developer and they have agreed to remove the lamppost and replace it nearer a neighbouring boundary wall.”
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