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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-05-31 Daily Xml
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Mobile Phone Towers

Ms HOOD (Adelaide) (15:28): I firmly believe the residential streets in our community should be known for their leafy green boulevards and character homes, not twin mobile phone towers, but that is exactly what telco giant Optus has been trying to construct in Prospect's south-east. Last year, along with a number of my neighbours, I launched a community campaign to prevent a second 30-metre mobile phone tower from being erected near locals' homes.

Early in 2021, Optus lodged plans for the 30-metre tower to be constructed in the car park of Crowies Paints in College Avenue, Prospect. The proposed location of the tower is immediately adjacent to a residential zone, causing maximum impact to the residential neighbourhood. In fact, the proposed tower would be built directly up against the fence of another couple's home and just 72 metres from the existing 30-metre Telstra mobile phone tower in Ballville Avenue.

To put that in context, I am quite confident that I could kick a football from one mobile phone tower to the next if this mobile phone tower were constructed—and I am no Barrie Robran! Locals believe that it does not past pass the fairness test to allow a second 30-metre mobile phone tower to be erected near their homes, arguing that it would significantly damage the general amenity and character of our neighbourhood.

A petition launched late last year attracted 200 signatures in a matter of days. We have letterboxed and knocked on doors and held a protest, the latter being covered by 7 News. I would like to thank my neighbours Karen and Enzo Pepe and David Lloyd, and many others, for their hard work on this campaign and also acknowledge the Mayor of Prospect, David O'Loughlin and many of its councillors, in particular Alison DeBacker and Kristina Barnett, for their support of our campaign.

While our community had an initial win in September last year, with the City of Prospect's council assessment panel calling on Optus to provide further information on its application, the telco giant continues to progress its plans for the mobile phone tower at the College Avenue site. Our community campaign has consistently called for an investigation into alternative locations for the second 30-metre mobile phone tower, saying that a concerted effort should be undertaken to find a more suitable site, not directly adjacent a residential area, that minimises the impact on local residents and the suburb as a whole.

Residents understand there is a need for telecommunications infrastructure, but the science should not be given the green light simply because Optus and the landowner are in agreement. Optus has deep pockets and resources to undertake a proper investigation into a more suitable location along Main North Road that minimises the impact on local homes. We encourage members of the community to join in our campaign against the construction of this twin phone tower.

The community has until midnight tomorrow (Wednesday night) to make a submission. You can go to the PlanSA website at www.plansa.gov.au and search for the application number 22010588. We acknowledge that it is a David and Goliath battle and, while we may not be a telco giant, we are a strong and connected neighbourhood and we have people power.

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