Towers’ bad reception

THE battle of the ridgelines has hit its peak between Yarra Ranges Council and telecommunications giant Telstra, with councillors rejecting five planning applications over two years.
Councillors say it’s about time telcos “get real” with their applications because “our ridgelines are not negotiable” but Telstra blames the shire’s undulating terrain for the need to place towers on higher land.
At the council’s Tuesday 22 March meeting, councillors declared their disgust at the telecommunications companies, particularly Telstra, for submitting applications that don’t follow the shire’s planning and telecommunications policies.
However Telstra says it is ready to invest in the shire and has aimed to work constructively with Yarra Ranges Council for a number of years to make sure residents have adequate coverage.
Telstra complained that the council delayed making decisions on its applications outside the required 60 days, and one decision came five months after the application. The establishment of towers for better coverage has been an ongoing battle for Telstra. It has lodged applications in Healesville, Seville, Yarra Junction and Silvan between December 2009 and March 2011 which were rejected because they were located on ridgelines or near homes.
Councillor Samantha Dunn said the telco had little recognition of council’s value towards tourism.
“Don’t even try and get a tower on a ridgeline in an area that values itself on its landscapes and, in fact, generates a considerable amount of money because of its landscapes,” she said.
“Our ridgelines are not negotiable.”
Cr Chris Templer said: “We definitely need the services we just need it done in a more sustainable and sensitive way.”
Telstra’s Victorian Corporate Affairs Manager Angela Martinkus said the need for mobile wireless data doubled approximately every year and that the telco had to keep up with demand.
She said the company takes the visual impact into consideration but that obstructions such as trees, buildings and topography can block signals.
“As the Yarra Ranges Shire has an undulating terrain, Telstra towers do need to be placed on higher areas of land to effectively service the area,” she said.
She said Telstra had actively consulted with the council and community and, where feasible, responded to concerns by amending plans, such as the proposed Cyprus tree design for a tower in Seville that councillors rejected last week.