A photo montage of the proposed Fadden phone tower. Photo: Indara.
The Territory Planning Authority has blocked a controversial mobile phone tower proposal that met a wall of community opposition, including local MLAs.
Indara, on behalf of Optus, had wanted to build a 25-metre-high tower and associated infrastructure on a pocket of a public reserve in Fadden, next to tennis courts and close to a recreational pond and playground.
Community objections attacked the location on the corner of Bugden Avenue and Nicklin Crescent as inappropriate, saying the tower would be an eyesore, interfere with the community’s enjoyment of a popular recreational area, be a safety hazard, obscuring lines of sight for traffic and pedestrians, impact wildlife and bring down property values.
Brindabella MLAs Deborah Morris (Liberal) and Taimus Werner-Gibbings (Labor) spoke against the proposal in the Legislative Assembly. Mr Werner-Gibbings, a Fadden resident, submitted his own objection, one of 131 received.
In a pre-decision published with the DA, the Planning Authority said the proposal had fallen foul of a number of planning rules. It criticised Indara for prioritising phone coverage outcomes over the proposal’s visual impact and effect on neighbouring amenity.
It was too big and too close to residents and parkland, the pre-decision said.
The Planning Authority said Indara had not adequately demonstrated that the scale of the proposal was appropriate to the site and Urban Open Space Zone.
The proposed phone tower’s proximity to residents and recreational areas would result in a poor visual impact, not in keeping with the surrounding development and uses within neighbouring parkland.
Where Indara wanted to site the phone tower. Photo: ACTmapi.
The Planning Authority said Indara had not shown it had adequately minimised adverse effects nor demonstrated that the facility would not impact on the enjoyment of the open space, particularly the tennis courts and parkland.
It also criticised Indara’s use of photo montages, which Mr Werner-Gibbings had called deceptive.
The photos failed to show all vantage points and associated footings, fencing, ground-level infrastructure, or take into consideration the slope and topography of the site.
“There is no front-on perspective demonstrating how associated facilities will impact the surrounding development (in particular, dwellings opposite the proposed location on Bugden Avenue) with no consideration of planting/screening to minimise visual impact,” the Planning Authority said.
The Planning Authority also noted the proposed height, saying there were no comparisons to similar structures within the vicinity.
It said Indara could consider a smaller facility on the current site, review alternative sites more suited to a facility of this size or provide further justification of the current proposal.
The DA has been paused and Indara has been told that any amended proposal will restart the clock on the assessment.
The company has 18 months to lodge an amendment.
Mr Werner-Gibbings said Fadden residents were cautiously optimistic about the Planning Authority’s initial response to Indara’s development application.
“The residents’ advocacy has been critical throughout this process,” he said.
“While they do not oppose improved mobile coverage, from the beginning they have been raising genuine concerns with me and the Planning Authority that the phone tower’s proposed location doesn’t comply with Territory planning requirements.”
Mr Werner-Gibbings said he would continue working with residents on solutions that improve mobile phone service without compromising the character of Tuggeranong’s neighbourhoods.
Comment was sought from Indara.
