By NIKKI TODD
WOOYUNG residents fear a telecommunications tower under construction ahead of the Splendour in the Grass music festival will become a permanent fixture in their quiet, rural neighbourhood.
Telecommunications giant Telstra has begun to erect a temporary telecommunications tower to provide extra mobile phone capacity to the Splendour in the Grass music festival that will run from 26-28 July.
The structure, which includes two giant poles similar to football posts, is being erected on private property on the southern side of Wooyung Road without any development consent or community consultation.
Rob Learmonth, who lives directly across the road from the site of the temporary tower, said he had been shocked to discover the facility being installed some 200m from his front door.
“The first we knew about this was when the trucks started arriving about three weeks ago,’’ Mr Learmonth said.
“We knew nothing about it.
“The crux of this is a very poor and shoddy communications process through Telstra. They don’t have to consult with the community or inform us about what is going on. You don’t do this sort of thing to the people out here.’’
Mr Learmonth said he was told the structure would be temporary, but was concerned it would be re-erected every time an event was held at the North Byron Parklands site.
“We have been given no guarantee in writing from Telstra that the tower will be temporary,’’ Mr Learmonth said.
“We have received no information on whether the tower and microwaves it sends out will impact on family health, let alone impacts on property values adjacent to, and opposite the tower.’’
He was further concerned the tower had created division within their tightknit community, with the owners of the land on which the tower is being erected allegedly offered a substantial sum of money to allow the structure to go ahead.
Neighbour Claudia Hulsberger, who returned from holiday to discover her front footpath dug-up for cabling to the tower, was concerned about the impacts of radiation.
“I’m very concerned about the bundling of microwaves so close to home,’’ Ms Hulsberger said.
“Would you like to have this right next to your house? There has been a total lack of communication about this from anyone.
“We used to be a nice neighbourhood, but all of a sudden it has turned into a very unusual environment with this, it is a real shame.’’
A Tweed Shire Council spokesman said under NSW planning legislation, temporary telecommunication facilities did not require development consent nor any community consultation.
A Telstra spokesperson said the facility, known as a `Cell on Wheels’, was necessary to provide additional mobile network capacity for Splendour.
“Without the temporary infrastructure, the existing network would not be able to manage the wireless traffic the influx of concert givers will generate,’’ the spokesperson said.
“ Telstra supports over 200 special events each year such as concerts and sporting events, with a Cell on Wheels.
“This equipment is in high demand and will be moved to the next event as soon as possible after Splendour in the Grass.’’
The spokesperson said the towers would boost mobile network connectivity for all residents during the festival, which might otherwise become congested with the influx of festival-goers.
A North Byron Parklands spokesperson said two temporary towers were being erected on their property, but were unaware of the third tower at Wooyung until they were contacted by residents last Friday.
“We are investigating all our options for future events including temporary solutions for each event, Telstra fibre optic cable and NBN broadband,’’ the spokesperson said.
The festival is being held for the first time at the 240 ha North Byron Parklands site at Yelgun, just south of Wooyung, which will be the permanent home of the popular music event.
Under approval conditions granted on a five-year trial basis, this year’s festival is limited to 25,000 patrons, with an additional two events able to be held on the site each year.
