A NEW mobile phone tower planned for Wodonga has residents concerned it would be a health risk, as well as a “blight” on a well-utilised public area.
Telstra has lodged a planning application with Wodonga Council to build a 25-metre tower on the Willow Rise greenbelt off Yarralumla Drive.
It is proposed the mobile network base station would provide additional capacity, depth of coverage and service quality in Wodonga and immediate surrounds.
But Amber Mikhail, who lives in nearby Wiltshire Crescent, was concerned mobile phone towers have in the past been linked with illnesses such as headaches, nausea, memory loss and in extreme cases, cancer.
“It may be argued that there is not enough evidence linking communication towers with health issues but there is no evidence to guarantee there is not,” she said.
“Increasing scientific research suggests there are major health risks within a minimum of a 400 to 500-metre radius of the tower.”
Wodonga’s Robert Toleman walks through the proposed location every day and fears a communications tower would be a “blight” on the landscape.
“It’s a beautiful public open reserve that a lot of people use and a lot of people enjoy,” he said.
“I don’t think we should be losing an area like that to Telstra.
“It shouldn’t be palmed off to anyone when it’s public land, owned by the ratepayers of Wodonga.”
Mr Toleman was also concerned he and other users of the site were not formally made aware of the application, with Wodonga Council sending notices to just 162 surrounding properties.
Telstra Country Wide Riverina Murray general manager Andrew Cottrill said a new tower was necessary, with the main base station in Wodonga, located on Huon Hill, experiencing a high volume of traffic.
He dismissed health concerns, saying the tower would have a “very low” level of emissions.
“It’s been subject to thousands of studies all around the world and we are absolutely compliant with world health standards,” Mr Cottrill said.
In regards to the appearance and location, Mr Cottrill said the monopole tower had been designed to have the lowest impact possible on the surrounding area.
“We understand people may have concerns — we urge them to have a look at the photomontage and description (included in the application), get a better understanding of what this would look like and make up their mind from there,” he said.
The planning application will be on display at the Wodonga Council offices until next Wednesday.
The council says all submissions regarding the application will be considered prior to a decision to grant the planning permit or not.
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