Council to lease land to Telstra

COFFS Harbour City Council stands to earn about $15,000 a year from leasing a small portion of public recreation land at Beacon Hill to Telstra.

COFFS Harbour City Council stands to earn about $15,000 a year from leasing a small portion of public recreation land at Beacon Hill to Telstra for a mobile phone base station and antennas.

The base station will be built next to the existing NSW police radio base station at 128 Victoria St.

Coffs Harbour City councillors gave approval to negotiate with Telstra consultants on the lease at Thursday’s council meeting.

The base station, which involves a 6m by 9.75m site, will improve mobile telephone coverage and data transfer services for Telstra customers in the area.

Cr Paul Templeton asked about the bearings of the antennas, saying he presumed Telstra was trying to get the signal into the main part of town and towards the airport.

He asked about the impact on houses and whether people in the area were aware of what would be placed there.

The council’s director of corporate business, Craig Milburn, said the electromagnetic emissions levels were dictated by the federal government.

Later he said the height of the antennas would be limited to four metres above Beacon Hill, because of the adjacent airport.

The Mayor, Cr Keith Rhoades, said part of the development application would advertise the proposal.

Consultants Total Communications Infrastructure Pty Ltd, would need to submit a development application.

Originally published as Council to lease land to Telstra