Smaller antenna for Maungaraki in the pipeline
By Chrys Ayley
A resource consent application hearing regarding construction of a 15 metre antenna, close to the water tower in Maungaraki?s Honeysuckle Grove, has been postponed indefinitely. The hearing scheduled for mid-March was cancelled with a few days notice, Wattle Grove resident Colin Williams said. Mr Williams, his partner Charlotte Hinton and locals would have been living close to a ?dominating structure? had plans for construction of a new mast for mobile phone company, NZ Communications gone ahead. Twenty three people filed objections with Hutt City Council and 18 wanted to be heard, he said. However, NZ Communications approached the couple three or four days before the hearing to say they could build a smaller tower of six to eight metres high on the southern side of the reservoir and the hearing, therefore, would be a waste of time. Mr Williams said they did not want a tower to be erected at all but if a tower has to go up and the visual impact is mitigated it would be a good outcome. ?We were fairly happy about that,? he said. ?Our main concern was the visual impact and if a smaller one goes in that?s great.? It is fair to say the community is still divided and there are ?a lot of people still concerned about the radiation.? ?We are fairly satisfied these things are as safe as they can be.? The couple mounted a public protest last November which was well attended by local residents, representatives of NZ Communications Ltd, councillors and politicians. Alternatives to the proposal were discussed including mounting a transmitter on the side of a tower but council was not prepared to let that happen, Mr Williams said. Spokesperson for NZ Communications Anthony Royal confirmed its request to council for the hearing to be postponed. ?We have come up with a proposal for a smaller tower,? he said. The alternative solution of a shorter mast, closer to the water tower needs another few weeks work before residents can hope to hear the outcome, Mr Royal said.
