Homeowners in a peaceful cul-de-sac have won a battle against a towering bright green parcel locker that appeared without warning outside their properties earlier this month.
The 8ft solar-powered delivery unit, operated by parcel locker specialist Yeep!, was installed on Arne Road in Walsgrave, Coventry, on April 10, sparking immediate outrage among residents who branded it an "eyesore".
Following fierce opposition from the community, the company has now agreed to remove the structure entirely.
Jamie Dickinson, Yeep! CEO, said: "Yeep! would like to apologise unreservedly to the residents of Arne Road in Walsgrave, Coventry.
"We acknowledge that the location was wholly unsuitable, and have taken immediate action to deactivate and remove the locker."
Lynda Congrave, a 79-year-old who has called the street home for four decades, expressed particular alarm about the unit's placement directly opposite her front window.
"I can't believe it's right outside my living room window. It's disgusting," Ms Congrave said.
The pensioner explained that the locker prevents her from keeping an eye on an elderly friend who lives across the road.
The 8ft solar-powered delivery unit was installed on Arne Road in Walsgrave, Coventry and sparked immediate outrage
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She also voiced serious concerns about child safety in the residential area, warning delivery vehicles racing to the locker could endanger children who regularly play nearby.
"They might run out and there could be somebody run over. We don't want that risk here," she said.
The battery-powered unit sits approximately half a mile from the nearest shop.
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John and Suzanna Davies, who reside just doors away from where the unit was erected, said residents had been misled about the purpose of a concrete base laid on communal land weeks earlier.
"A chap in Kenilworth bought this land. A couple of months ago, he was around scratching in the soil," Mr Davies, 77, explained.
He noted how the man claimed the council had requested groundwork for a salt box.
"He's completely pulled the wool over our eyes so he could drop it in there without us knowing or getting in his way," Mr Davies added.
Jamie Dickinson, Yeep! CEO, apologised unreservedly to the residents
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His wife Suzanna, 57, who works in school administration, further questioned why the locker was positioned in a residential street, when a supermarket with existing parcel facilities sits just half a mile away.
Coventry City Council has confirmed it is investigating whether the installation was carried out without proper authorisation.
A council spokesman said: "Nothing further to say at this stage, the matter is under investigation and officers have contacted the landowner and locker company."
In his apology, Mr Dickinson stated that Yeep! had examined the circumstances surrounding how the locker came to be placed on the residential street.
"We have also reviewed our internal procedures and are implementing strengthened controls and additional improvements to prevent a similar experience occurring," he said.
Residents maintain the lawn where the unit was positioned is tended by homeowners themselves, who take considerable pride in keeping their gardens well-maintained.
The locker had reportedly not been used once during the time it stood on the street.