AFL legend Dean Kemp taking legal advice over Western Power pole installed in front of his Margaret River home

Football legend Dean Kemp is taking legal advice over an 11-metre power pole Western Power recently installed in front of his Margaret River home, ruining his beach views. And the utility has told him it will cost him $50,000 to change it. The West Coast icon and his wife Karin woke a month ago to the “eyesore” pole 70 metres in front of their eight-acre property on Isaac Rd where they have lived since he retired from football in 2001. In response to his complaint, Western Power told him that if he wanted the power moved underground, he would personally have to foot a bill worth $50,000 to $60,000 — including the cost of surveying, drafting and installation. “Surely big businesses can’t go around doing this to people,” he said. He later added: “I feel devastated and absolutely peeved that this can be done in this day and age.” Previously, a smaller 8m power pole in the same location had been below the tree line and was not visible from his home or balcony. Mr Kemp said the new infrastructure was not only a “shock to the system” after waking up to nature for 25 years, but had de-valued his property. He was angry Western Power did not consult him over the new infrastructure, which it upsized after a neighbour requested a power upgrade. Adding insult to injury, the neighbour’s view was not impeded by the pole. “Common sense would say we have the right to retain our view that we have had for 25 years — and the power upgrade was not even for us,” he said. Mr Kemp said the utility should have opted for underground power because it was a high fire risk area, with almost every other home in the immediate vicinity burned down in the 2011 bush fires which destroyed a total of 39 homes and damaged 26 others in the region. “We are in a bushfire-prone area and have had two devastating bushfires in the past 15 years,” he said. “These (above-ground) poles were burnt and destroyed. “So why they would replace them — and not put the power underground — is very strange as surely (underground) is a safer option.” While the matter raises complex legal questions over whether there is a legal right to a beautiful view, lawyer John Hammond said it did not pass the pub test, offending both in moral and practical terms. “It is irresponsible and financially wasteful not to do underground power — particularly where the power lines obstruct views and detract from beauty,” said Mr Hammond, of Hammond Legal. A spokesperson for Western Power yesterday confirmed the change was to accommodate a power upgrade for another customer. “The upgrade included the installation of a pole-top transformer, which has slightly increased the height of the pole,” the spokesperson said. “As part of Western Power’s network design and planning, we carefully consider the position of our assets using a number of criteria. “Western Power tries to minimise any interference and impacts for landowners in regard to the placement of its assets.”