A former councillor who finished second in October’s Wanneroo mayoral race has raised concerns about the decision to approve a telecommunications tower at a shopping precinct despite push back from locals.
Hugh Nguyen ended his eight-year run as a councillor in October in his quest to become City of Wanneroo mayor and is now leading a group of fellow residents against the tower.
Mr Nguyen, who lives close to the site, believes the tower set to be built in the Landsdale Forum car park will negatively impact surrounding property prices and be an eyesore.
It was approved by city officers under delegated authority and did not come to the council.
Indara Digital Infrastructure said in its proposal the structure would improve Vodafone and Optus mobile services to about 1500 Landsdale homes and businesses.
“Indara has been working closely with the Wanneroo council throughout the planning application process to enhance and improve mobile coverage and capacity in the Landsdale area,” an Indara spokesperson told PerthNow.
“The facility, which has recently been approved by the council in compliance with all their planning requirements, will deliver significant network improvements to approximately 1500 residences and businesses in the surrounding area, including the Landsdale Forum Shopping Centre.”
Mr Nguyen said the matter should have been brought to the council considering the public push back on its location.
He said the matter was passed to city planning and sustainability director Mark Dickson to approve.
Mr Nguyen was also angered that two petitions with 300 signatures against the tower lodged in December were not tabled at the first council meeting of the year last Tuesday.
“We’re not against a mobile phone tower, in actual fact we support it but not in that location,” he said.
“The petition of nearly 300 signatures is very big for a local government issue.
“Mark Dickson should have brought this back to council; why he did not bring this back to council given the clear and obvious objection from the community?
“There was an overwhelming amount of community opposition, both from the consultation and the petitions, and they were simply ignored.”
Mr Nguyen said he set up a meeting between residents and the city at the beginning of February which lasted two hours.
“I grilled them at that meeting on the aesthetics value and visual impact of the tower,” he said.
“State Planning Policy 5.2 deals directly in detail with the issue of mobile phone towers and it says very clearly you’ve got to balance visual impact versus the needs of the community.
“None of us are saying that we don’t need mobile phone towers; if there is a need there is a need, but we’re saying not in that location.
“Out of the 22 other locations that were identified, why this one; there’s other locations that can easily accommodate this and address their issue. “
Mr Nguyen said the only solution he saw was for the city and Indara to find an alternative site. However, the clock is ticking as site works are set to start on March 1.
“Mark Dickson indicated on Tuesday that he would be willing to look at that,” Mr Nguyen said.
“I think it was one of the councillors asking the same question as to what can be done now and he said that’s an option.”
The City of Wanneroo has been contacted for comment.