Source: Southern Courier
Author: Michelle Wranik
Posted: Fri 5 Jan, 2007

Randwick Council is preparing a development control plan for mobile phone towers.

Faced with a growing number of proposals for high frequency mobile phone towers, Randwick Council has voted to prepare a draft development control plan (DCP) for all telecommunication carriers to abide by.

The DCP will be a guideline for the carriers which, among other regulations, will require them to minimise the impact of electromagnetic emissions and avoid “community sensitive” areas.

Under current Federal legislation, phone companies are not required to gain consent from councils when installing “low impact” facilities, which include mobile phone towers mounted on existing structures.

Deputy mayor Murray Matson said the draft DCP was needed because of significant concern within the community about high frequency or high impact facilities.

“It will help equip council to better respond to proposals to build high impact mobile phone towers,” Cr Matson said.

Earlier this year, despite the lack of conclusive evidence to prove radiation emitted from the towers has negative health risks, Matraville residents fought Vodafone’s bid to build a 22-metre mobile phone tower in Franklin Street, less than a few hundred metres from a preschool.

The DCP will take about six months to complete.
Council - Guidelines for towers