An irate Southampton man will soon be circulating a petition among his neighbours to protest the recent installation of a giant satellite dish in his St. Anne's Road neighbourhood.

Mr. Harley Hayward claimed this week that the dish, on a former US tracking station at the top of Sentinel Hill, was put up without any formal notice or consultation with area residents.

"It's big and ugly and changes the whole character of what is essentially a residential neighbourhood,'' Mr. Hayward complained recently.

"I understand that the Planning Department had no authority over the American Bases here, but the Americans are gone now, and I feel that this (the dish) has conveniently fallen though the cracks.'' Yesterday, Planning Director Mr. Brian Rowlinson acknowledged that the satellite dish, which is thought to belong to Bermuda Cablevision Ltd., was "illegally'' erected, but added that it was the responsibility of the site's new owner, the soon-to-be-established Land Development Corporation, to ensure that Bermuda's planning laws are respected.

"It is an unusual case,'' Mr. Rowlinson said. "It's an illegal dish, but (Government) hasn't set up any planning regulations for the US Bases yet.

Right now we're just referring the case to the owner.'' Speaking on behalf of the Base transition authority, lawyer Mr. Philip Holder said yesterday that the public would have the chance to register its opinions -- including objections -- as future uses for the Base lands were established and bids for property weighed.

"We're working right now on the development of new regulatory policies,'' Mr.

Holder said. "They (Cablevision) had an existing agreement with the American Navy, but that could very well change.'' In the meantime, Mr. Hayward said yesterday that he had some very serious questions about the appropriateness of erecting a major structure like the dish as the US prepared to leave.

"I'm not sure,'' he told The Royal Gazette , "if they put it up before or after September 1 (the date on which the US Navy pulled out).

"But if it was before, why would the Americans allow it?'' Yesterday, neither Mr. Rowlinson nor Mr. Holder claimed to know the date of the dish's installation.

Repeated telephone calls to Cablevision general manager Mr. Don Greiner went unanswered.

DISH OUT? -- The installation of this giant satellite dish at the former US tracking station in Southampton has prompted at least one irate local resident to petition for its removal.