Proposed 4G tower in Torquay North yet to be built

The proposed 4G tower will replace this light tower and re-use the same lights at The Quay Reserve in Torquay North. Photo: JAMES TAYLOR

A 4G TELECOMMUNICATIONS tower in Torquay North is yet to be built despite the Surf Coast Shire council giving the project the green light more than 18 months ago.

The council first exhibited a planning permit application from Telstra for a tower in the north-eastern corner of The Quay Reserve, in November 2018 and held a subsequent a hearing of submissions meeting in February 2019.

This application for the facility at 2 Quay Boulevard, which will replace the existing light tower and re-use the same lights, received 124 submissions in support and 36 objections.

Following the meeting, Telstra formally amended the application by changing the location of the proposed telecommunication facility to the reserve’s south-eastern corner.

This amended application was publicly exhibited in July 2019, where it received another six submissions in support and another 40 objections.

The council resolved to grant the planning permit application at its meeting on September 24, 2019, on the conditions (among several others) that the permit would expire if the development was not started within two years and finished within four years.

Last week, Telstra regional general manager Loretta Willaton said the telecommunications company was “committed to continually improving mobile connectivity in Torquay”.

“As part of that commitment, we’re working through plans for a new site in Torquay North.

“This has been a thorough process involving extensive engagement with the community and detailed work with Surf Coast Shire as part of their development application approval process.

“We’re working through our plans for this site now and we’ll have more to say on the site when there’s an update to provide.”

Although the proposed tower will have 4G technology, several of the objections are about the perceived health risks of 5G, as the tower could potentially house 5G transmitters in the future.

In March of this year, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) announced it had carried out two new reviews with Swinburne University of Technology that found no evidence of adverse health effects from the radio waves used in 5G.