Hard-working horticulturalists have blasted BT for blotting out their green-fingered display with a broadband box.
Newport and Wormit in Bloom had spent time and money decorating the village with a number of former rowing boats filled with flowers.
However, its members and village residents were left in shock when the BT street cabinet appeared without warning in front of their display on Flass Road, blocking it completely to passers-by.
The boat had been in position for two years when the box, which provides high speed broadband to the area, appeared out of nowhere two weeks ago.
Newport and Wormit in Bloom chairwoman Kate Legg was told by Fife Council BT did not have to apply for planning permission to place the box in Wormit, unlike in other locations.
She said: “It appeared without explanation or without anybody knowing anything about it.
“There was another one they were going to put in Newport but they haven’t been able to put it up.
“It was on a pavement but because it came under Fife Council planning regulations, they were able to object to it.
“The one in Wormit is not impacting on the pavement or on anybody’s personal property, so I presume that’s why they didn’t have to apply for planning permission for it.”
The group are now faced with having to dismantle the Flass Road display.
A BT spokesman said the street cabinet was installed to help provide high-speed broadband.
“Engineers do all they can to site street cabinets in a way that’s appropriate to the local surrounds, but they are bound by strict technical requirements, such as connections to other underground infrastructure and electricity supply, as well as street safety considerations.
“In this case, we notified the relevant authorities about the cabinet in January and consulted with the roads department before it was installed three months later. The standard 28-day notice period was observed, with no issues raised by the council’s planning department.
“The installation would have been planned some time before the planting-up of the boat, and we have followed all the usual procedures. However, we’re sorry that it’s caused an issue.”
Picture by George McLuskie