An invasion of satellite dishes has added to the grievances among residents in The Miltons, Highgate.

More than a dozen dishes have appeared on properties in Milton Road and Milton Avenue, despite its conservation area status.

Chairman of Miltons Residents’ Association, Christopher Riley, has hit out at Haringey Council for failing to enforce their own policies, which ban satellite dishes from being installed in a conservation area without planning permission.

Ongoing problem

He said some of the dishes have even appeared on properties which are owned by the local authority.

Earlier this year Highgate residents fought against the council’s fortnightly rubbish collections, which they said left them with rows of overflowing wheelie bins, dubbed the “Dalek bin invasion”, lining the streets.

Concerns have also been raised over the state of the roads, which, residents say, are peppered with potholes.

Mr Riley said the satellite dishes are the “icing on the cake”.

“It’s been an ongoing problem,” he said. “I have raised issues with Haringey Council during my eight years that I’ve lived here and nothing has been dealt with.

“It was the same with the wheelie bins – they won’t enforce anything. They appointed an officer to deal with the satellite dishes in January but it’s only just come to light that they can’t actually do anything.

“Homes for Haringey say it’s the council’s responsibility and the council say it’s theirs.”

He accused the council of focusing its efforts elsewhere in the borough. “We are not that leafy and posh,” he said.

“There are a lot of housing associations, low-income households and young professionals who are renting.

“It’s not staying the same or improving, it’s falling into a state of disrepair and decay.

“The council should be enforcing their own policies. This is the icing on the cake, there’s a complete lack of civic pride.”

A Haringey Council spokesman said it is planning on taking “strong action” against unauthorised satellite dishes.

He said: “We take enforcing conservation areas very seriously and we are currently conducting a survey on Milton Road and Milton Avenue in response to residents’ concerns.

“We have already investigated nearly 90 per cent of the identified cases so far, with the council and Homes for Haringey taking or planning to take strong action – including removing satellite dishes – where we have powers to do so.

“We will continue to work to protect the character of the area and encourage residents to report any authorised structures so we can have them swiftly removed.”