Mylor resident Lucy Quigley-Smith to fight approved wireless tower in court

An Adelaide Hills Council panel has approved a 46-metre NBN tower for a biodiversity site – now the nearby residents are going to court.

Prominent Adelaide Hills real estate agent Matt Smith has spoken out against a council-panel approved, 46m-NBN telecommunications tower on the outskirts of Mylor.

And Mr Smith’s wife, Lucy Quigley-Smith, who has an adjoining property, has appealed against the Adelaide Hills Council panel’s decision in June this year to approve the wireless tower in a primary production zone at Lot 10 and 12 Crossing Rd, court documents show.

The appeal will now be heard in the Environment, Resources and Development Court next month.

Lucy Quigley-Smith (left) with husband Matt Smith, has formally opposed an approved telecommunications tower in Mylor. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

Thirteen Mylor residents appeared at a panel hearing on July 11 where the application was assessed and approved.

Mr Smith said on Monday the decision should be overturned because the SA Water-owned land is signposted as a biodiversity and conservation site.

“No dumping, no collection of firewood, no removal of native vegetation… (but a) 46m steel structure, no worries,” Mr Smith said in a video.

The approximate location where the tower will be installed. Picture: Matt Smith.

“It’s a very high tower equivalent to a 12-storey building; it will be highly visible in an area of … scenic value.

“There has been very little real explanation why other sites aren’t suitable.

“We would prefer the NBN to avoid putting it in this area altogether as it’s a biodiversity site.”

Local households were originally promised wireless technology under the NBN rollout but were assigned NBN Sky Muster satellite earlier this year after negotiations with a local landholder to build a tower fell through.

Hills resident Susanne Koen was last year calling for fixed wireless connection to the outskirts of Mylor. Picture: Russell Millard.

Local MP Rebekha Sharkie said the community had undertaken a “significant amount of advocacy” since to convince NBN to provide wireless.

“NBN was going to give the district satellite technology once negotiations on the original tower site fell through but they spent more than a year investigating several alternative sites,” Ms Sharkie said.

“I have been advised there will be no further investigations.

“This is the last opportunity for premises on the outskirts of Mylor to have access to an NBN wireless tower.”

However, she supported Ms Quigley-Smith’s right to appeal against the proposal.

A NBN spokesman said the tower would provide network access to more than 320 properties.