Cell site decision may cost

BY MATT BOWEN

City councillors could shave 15 percent off the value of two east Auckland properties tomorrow night

A working party set up to investigate alternative sites for telecommunications company 2degrees’ proposed mobile base stations outside 145 Clovelly Rd and 25 Pigeon Mountain Rd has failed to find alternatives.

The proposal remains unchanged because of the telco’s technical requirements.

And the loss of property value for Tina and Rowan Hegley at 145 Clovelly Rd would be very real.

The Hegleys stand to lose more than $100,000 in capital value.

Leigh Roy from Total Focus Property has been selling real estate in Howick for 15 years.

She says people’s fear of health effects from cell sites, whether real or imagined, affect both the value and saleability of properties.

A prospective buyer was about to put an offer on a property recently but discovered a cell tower would potentially go up on the verge outside, Mrs Roy says.

"This purchaser has had health issues and was not prepared to take the risk.

"This was some months ago now and that particular property is still for sale."

She knows of another buyer who looked at a property also identified as a cell site option.

"Aside from the potential health issues it was more a fear of the unknown, including the impact of the look of the property, potential view loss and noise from the box."

A 2005 study co-authored by Dr Sandy Bond on cell site proximity affecting residential property prices in Christchurch reinforces her claims.

It concluded there’s about a 15 percent drop in value after a tower is built.

They also found the effect generally reduces with distance from the site.

At 300 metres it’s negligible.

Results did vary between neighbourhoods, with one site having a positive impact on price.

But the authors say that’s possibly because of the site being built before any negative media publicity and better concealment of the site.

Dr Bond is a former university professor with a PhD in property valuation.

The working party of Manukau city councillors were all in agreement except Pakuranga councillor David Collings and Howick’s Sharon Stewart.

They believe 2degrees should do more to loosen its technical requirements. That could require more investment but would provide a better outcome for the community.

"The council has bent over backwards to accommodate this on parks and reserves to keep them away from residential homes, schools and childcare facilities, but these have been rejected on points that they can’t achieve their technical requirements," Mrs Stewart says.

Council officers are also due to report their findings about the valuation effects of cell sites directly outside residential properties.

Tomorrow’s 5pm meeting is open to the public.

Spokeswoman for 2degrees Bryony Hilless says the company does not accept cell sites reduce property values.

"Property values are affected by many factors and it is impossible to quantify and attribute changes to one factor.

"Property owners are not assured their neighbourhood will remain unchanged. Changes such as new structures, houses and roads can always occur in accordance with the relevant planning rules," she says.

- © Fairfax NZ News