AN amateur radio enthusiast has lost his 22-year battle over seven radio antennae installed on top of his home without planning permission.

Frank Jenson has been locked in a battle since 2002 with Southend Council over the antennae, installed on his home in the Drakes, Shoebury, and has been hit with a series of enforcement notices ordering them to be removed.

The homeowner lodged an appeal with the planning inspectorate over the latest enforcement action, issued last February, in a final bid to be able to keep them in place.

But, this week, the Secretary of State has agreed with Southend Council and dismissed the appeal, meaning Mr Jensen will be forced to remove the antennae.

Tony Cox, councillor responsible for West Shoebury ward, said: “This highlights the importance of planning permission.

“I always say get planning permission before you do anything as these sorts of things can happen.

“The process has now been exhausted, and the enforcement action still stands.

“It highlights the dangers of doing something without planning permission.

“It is always good to know when the council are going to do things, they do it and do it in justification that they are right and right to do so.

“This has been proven in this case.”

Enforcement action was first approved in 2002, and some antennae were removed. Another enforcement notice was issued in 2014, but those antennae remain and have been added to.

It was ruled by Southend Council that they are considered to be of “significant harm to the visual amenity of the area”.

The resident will now have six months to remove three poles and antennae from a side wall, two from a rear wall, along with two free-standing antennae.

In this case, the council said the antennae on site do not benefit from permitted development provisions, and with the service of the 2014 notice, any potential permitted development rights have been lost.

The planning inspector added: “I conclude that the development harms the character and appearance of the host building and area.”