Controversial tower goes up

JOHN HAWKINS/The Southland Times

A THING OF THE PAST?: The wireless industry is planning a future without them mobile towers.

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The fight against a Telecom cellphone tower in Windsor suffered a knockout punch yesterday when a crane lowered the structure into position in King St.

The selection of the site in a residential area has been a controversial choice for Telecom, with nearby property owners forming a group opposing its decision.

Bill Robertson, whose property is about 10m away from the newly erected tower, said it was disappointing to see it up but nothing more could be done.

"We just have to swallow it."

There was nothing illegal about it, but it was immoral, he said.

"John Key came down to open the Fonterra plant at Edendale. We thought he might be here to unveil this. I bet he wouldn't get one in his backyard."

Many of the nearby residents who opposed the tower had changed from Telecom to other providers, he said.

The issue of the towers was highlighted in a Southland Times poll last month that returned almost 75 per cent opposition to cellphone towers in residential areas.

Some residents had also expressed concern that the placement of the tower could send house prices in the area tumbling.

A Telecom spokeswoman yesterday said it would probably take until the end of the month for the site and its tower to "go live".

The company had listened to community concerns and the tower was changed to reduce visual impact by opting for a slimline design and covering the antennae with a shroud, she said.

The tower was needed to meet increased cellphone traffic demand, including mobile broadband. Coverage and performance of Telecom's services should improve when the site was activated, the spokeswoman said.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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Vito   #6   04:23 pm Feb 21 2010

I wonder if we can talk the rocket man to launch it!!

Regan Dawson   #5   09:44 pm Feb 20 2010

This story reminded me of the infamous "Tower of Doom" incident a few years back when I was in London.(see Google)

A cell-phone tower installed on top of a block of flats was removed after protests from local residents. Apparently the residents on the top floor had a cancer rate of 20 percent (10 times the national average) with 3 dying and another 4 diagnosed with cancer.

A piece of advice to the guy in the article who now lives just 10 metres away from the new tower... time to MOVE bro

Get Over It   #4   03:03 pm Feb 20 2010

Get over it, why did these people not complain about the tower that went up at the other end of Sydney St?

Pete   #3   01:51 pm Feb 20 2010

Based on recent history, it will probably fail and someone will txt "f**k".

GCR   #2   11:15 am Feb 20 2010

I have 3 (Telecom, Voda and 2 degrees) towers within 100m of where I live. Definitely in one of the top brackets of house prices in Wgtn. As far as I am aware, none of the locals complained when thet were put up (aprt from why 3, can't you all go on the same pole?).

Has not hurt the house prices in the slightest. Cell towers are minor urban background. Iy you want to complain about things, complain about power poles. not only visually everywhere but also lethal around roadside and corners.

deckland   #1   08:25 am Feb 20 2010

and boom...just like that, the devil rammed its pitchfork into the ground.

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