Thornton will soon have better mobile phone and internet service, but that means residents in Government Drive will have a 30 metre high telecommunications tower within metres of their homes.
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Councillors approved a proposal at Tuesday night’s meeting for Optus to build the tower in a corner of Thornton Park, owned by Maitland City Council.
The approval came after more than 20 residents from the area near the park had signed a petition for council to put the tower elsewhere.
Cr Arch Humphery said the tower had been approved because Thornton needed better internet and mobile phone reception.
“These things always cause tension in the communities where they are located, but they are essential,” he said.
Council staff reported that the tower would not significantly affect the area’s visual aesthetics, but Government Road resident Andy Warren told the Mercury earlier this week that he disagreed.
The tower will be erected within 50 metres of his back fence.
Mr Warren said nearby residents were also concerned about the possible health impacts of living near a large telecommunications tower that received and transmitted electromagnetic radio waves. A report to councillors noted that the tower would operate within the safe electromagnetic energy range and there would be no risk to human health.
“No other scientific study has found conclusive evidence of negative health effects with respect to radio frequencies and electromagnetic energy at the exposure levels proposed,” the report noted.
