IN a move with shire-wide implications, Eurobodalla Shire Council has deferred a decision on the siting of a contentious broadband tower.
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The placement of a tower to deliver faster service throughout Batemans Bay, via the National Broadband Network (NBN), has been delayed, pending community consultation with affected prop-erty owners.
At a council meeting on Tuesday, shire councillors voted to defer their decision on the North Batemans Bay site until December 9, so NBN Co could undertake community consultation and provide more information on potential visual impacts.
North Batemans Bay residents welcomed the news, after arguing that NBN Co had held a consultation session for Congo residents, but not for them.
The 40-metre-high tower, or monopole, is proposed for the corner of Batemans and Ironbark Range roads in the Benandarah State Forest.
More than 20 residents attended Tuesday’s council meeting, as did four NBN Co representatives.
Five residents who say they will be affected by the proposed tower told councillors and officials of their concerns.
They listed alleged health risks, noise, the effect on property values and the impact the tower would have on their views.
Peter Whipps, of North Batemans Bay, the nearest resident to the proposed tower, dubbed it “degrading and ugly”.
“Everyone is upset,” Mr Whipps said.
“There is no reason for this to be put in this spot, other than the costs.”
If councillors could not insist on a new site, he asked that construction be delayed for 12 months so he could sell up.
“We moved to this area to get away from this sort of development and to live in the bush,” he said.
On December 9, councillors will reconsider the tower appication after seeing a photographic montage of the visual impact and after community consultation is held.
Resident Paul Good said the tower did not meet council’s planning standards, which stipulate minimal visual impact.
“Whoever thought this tower would fit that (standard), should go to the optometrist,” he said.
“It will be a 40-metre concrete eye-sore.
“Imagine if I wanted to construct a
similar garden feature.”
Mr Good said the bush aspect he loved would be ruined.
“There are other places it can be placed to minimise the impact,” he said.
“They should properly consult with the local people.”
Ros Holmes said she was appalled it could be installed 400 metres from her property.
“We are devastated,” Mrs Holmes said.
“This will affect our property value.
“We do all of our living on the north side, where the pole will rise up over the trees.
“It is totally inappropriate.”
Mrs Holmes said a property valuer
estimated the tower would reduce the value of her home by 10 per cent.
“This needed community consultation,” she said.
“There has been zero (community)
consultation with NBN, unlike Congo (residents), who had a free information session.”
Mary Randall said the tower would be just four metres from her boundary.
“I am not opposed to NBN, but I am opposed to the position of this tower,” Mrs Randall said.
She believed costs to NBN had been the deciding factor.
“What about the cost to us?” she said.
“We stand to lose on the value of our property.”
Mrs Randall says the tower “does not meet the council legislation”.
“It will not recede into the landscape, it will compromise the beautiful ridge line and will grow in ugliness as companies co-locate on the tower,” she said.
Other telecommunications companies were likely to add equipment to the tower.
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