There are really two issue here; the issue of Big Brother watching us, and the visual impact of large towers in a conservation area.

The Forest Hill street clutter report recommends that the CCTV camera are positioned on buildings and on existing posts, rather than massive pillars that are an eyesore and obstruct the pavement.

If these cameras are used for traffic surveillance then they should be discrete and should not really impact on our civil liberties but they don't cut crime either.

But for me the main eyesore in the high street is the cages adjoining WHSmith, above the underpass. I thought Smiths was bad enough but the addition of the cages is horrible.