by Ray George
If toob optical fibres have been installed all around here, why not in most of Ethelburt Avenue? You were told about the proposal in the Winter Newsletter last year. The answer is that as yet there is no wayleave agreement. The reply from toob’s lawyers has remained the same “we are awaiting permission from Swaythling.” By this they mean the Swaythling Housing Society, now part of Abri. You may well ask what Abri has to do with this? This saga started when toob wanted to bring fibre to the houses and flats on the corner of Stoneham Lane and Bassett Green Road. On learning that the land in front is held by Abri on a 999 year lease from Herbert Collins Estates Ltd, they handed the matter over to their solicitors to negotiate a wayleave agreement with Abri. To further complicate things, there are other areas of the Estate which are held by Abri on 999 year leases. This is where we are stuck; the people at Abri must be quite bemused.