Trinity Beach residents angry over lack of consultation for new phone tower

Residents in this Far North community are upset they weren’t consulted over plans to build a new phone tower on top of an existing structure. Find out why Council couldn’t stop it and the response from the telco.

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RESIDENTS at Trinity Beach are upset over the lack of consultation regarding a proposal to build a mobile phone tower on top of a nearby holiday complex.

Planning for the Telstra tower to be built on top of Sea Change Beachfront Apartments commenced two months ago, with a plan submitted to the Cairns Regional Council on October 8.

Public feedback for the project commenced on October 28 for over a three-week period – with notification letters sent out to nearby residents.

However, Martin Lloyd was not one of residents who received the letter and he’s disappointed about the lack of consultation over the proposed location of the tower.

Trinity Beach residents Martin Lloyd with Anna and Peter Cheyne in front of the flat roofed building (on the left) where there is a proposal to build a a mobile base station. PICTURE: ANNA ROGERS

“I was at work and (I saw) two small, envelope-sized notifications at the front of Sea Change,” Mr Lloyd said.

He also said they were told the construction of the tower was set to begin on December 2, which had been delayed.

“(Telstra) have tried to get the tower in three different locations along the beach but they’ve been knocked back all the time.”

Mr Lloyd and his fellow residents are also concerned about the electromagnetic radiation that could potentially emit from the tower.

“It’s pretty underhanded what they’ve done,” he said.

“There’s better and less evasive options they could use but they’re just trying to push this through.”

Division 9 councillor Brett Olds has met residents and said while it was in a coverage black spot, they had a right to be concerned.

“Some of them told me they could lose $100,000 on their house value,” Cr Olds said.

He said the council had unanimously voted to write a letter to Telstra to address residents’ concerns but could not take the matter further.

“This case is under the Telecommunications Act – so we can’t do anything about it.”

Telstra regional general manager Rachel Cliffe said the company had not made a final decision on the tower location.

Originally published as Trinity Beach residents angry over lack of consultation for new phone tower