Fighting the towers that be

A Clunes resident’s digital mock up of what the Clunes communications tower would look like.

Clunes residents turned out in force to the Lismore City Council meeting on Tuesday night to let councillors know of their displeasure at plans by Optus to install a 40-metre tower in the village.

Spokesperson Janet Auret addressed the meeting, saying there were a number of objections including: the impact on village amenity; the proposed location is on top of an old dip site and may result in disturbance of contaminated soils; it is not 100 metres from the edge of a residential zone as required by legislation; its proximity to sporting grounds; and the predicted levels of electro-magnetic radiation from the tower and the possibility of adverse health affects.

A DA has been lodged by Daly International to build the tower on behalf of Optus. Council has restricted authority in determining the DA, which largely falls under state and federal jurisdiction.

However councillor David Yarnall put forward a motion suggesting that Council write to the company requesting they consider an alternative location, extend the community consultation period by one month and notify them of the proximity to the dip site.

Cr Neil Marks added a further clause to the motion that Council develop a policy around the erection of communications towers that includes guidelines on the distance to homes, schools, sporting fields and community infrastructure (he suggested 500 metres), that community consultation be extended beyond immediate neighbours, and that this policy be put in place immediately and be sent to appropriate state and federal departments.

“We need to let these companies know that if you come into our playground, these are the rules and guidelines we’d like you to work within,” Cr Marks said.

The motion was passed unanimously, although Mayor Jenny Dowell said, “it may not be worth the paper it’s written on, but at least it lets the companies know the guidelines that this Council would like adhered to.”

Several residents from Lismore Heights also addressed the meeting with concerns about a communications tower that was approved by Council earlier this year and will be built on Southern Cross University-owned land in Ross Street.

Mayor Dowell said the approval had been granted by Council staff and not called up before the Council because there were no public submissions made objecting to the tower.

Residents claimed they had not been notified.

Mayor Dowell said it was regrettable but it was now “past this Council’s ability to overturn the decision” and advised the residents their only course of action was to take the matter up with Optus, SCU and their local members.