Cellphone towers 'ludicrous'

Photo: BEN WATSON

TOWERS QUESTIONED: This is one of two cellphone towers within 120 metres of each other on Beach Rd, Rothesay Bay.

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Two cellphone towers erected within 120 metres of each other are creating a buzz among some Rothesay Bay residents.

Lesley Wilson lives on Beach Rd between the towers, which were installed by emerging mobile phone company New Zealand Communications late last year.

The towers replace street lights and have an antenna on top.

She says it is ludicrous they were installed without consultation and allowed to be so close together.

"It is not good enough," she says.

Mrs Wilson says she and other neighbours are concerned about the possible health risks and how the towers will affect their property values.

She wants one of the towers taken down.

North Shore City Council environmental services acting operations manager for resource consent processes Mark Swartz says the towers were given non-notified consent last year.

He says New Zealand Communications pays the council to use the sites but would not say how much.

Because the change was considered minor the council did not deem it necessary to notify the public, Mr Swartz says.

Both consents had been given the go-ahead by the council’s environmental health officers.

Whether the towers will affect property values is a "grey area", says Mr Swartz.

"There’s very little direct relationship."

A non-notified decision can only be challenged through a High Court judicial review, he says.

- © Fairfax NZ News