Telecommunications Infrastructure (Monopole & Shelter) 111 Harper Road, BANJUP WA 6164

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1 Telecommunications Infrastructure (Monopole & Shelter) 111 Harper Road, BANJUP WA 6164 Some residents of Banjup do not oppose the erection of a mobile phone mast by Optus. Those residents ask Councillors to assess Optus application on the basis of the facts and with consideration of the State Planning Policies. Residents have examined the Optus application and have formed the opinion set out herein. 1. Banjup s Intermittent Mobile Reception Banjup is well known for its poor mobile phone reception. During the bush fire of February 2014 residents in some pockets of Banjup had difficulty receiving emergency text messages which consequently increased their risk exposure. More and more we are becoming dependent on our mobile phones and it is becoming the emergency services preferred method of delivering information. The website oztowers.com.au shows that there are 12 phone masts within a 5 km radius of the proposed Banjup mast in Harper Road, most of which are shared by Optus, Vodafone and Telstra. Although Optus has provided no information about their capacity or their capability to eliminate the reception problems in Banjup, residents assume that Optus would not invest in a mast unless it was satisfied that one is needed. If this assumption proves incorrect, then Banjup residents may wish to amend the opinions in this suibmission. 2. Implications of State Planning Policy 5.2 Optus proposal should be assessed according to the provisions of the WA State Planning Policy 5.2 Telecommunications Infrastructure, as attached. That Policy s provisions include: Telecommunications facilities should be designed and sited so they do not unduly compromise local heritage, aesthetic or conservation values The relevant approval authority should only have regard for: the need to ensure continuity of supply of telecommunications services in the local area or region and the degree to which the proposal will improve network coverage, reliability, capacity and service quality to users. providing emergency services coverage and the need to eliminate areas of no network coverage (black-spots). the proposal s local environmental, heritage and aesthetic impacts; The implications of the Policy for Banjup are that mobile phone masts are part of an essential service and their planning approval should be facilitated, provided they do not unduly impact visual amenity or environmental or heritage considerations. Council has no other discretion. Any perceived radiation risks are not to be considered. 1 of 6 BRG Not Opposing Harper Mast

2 The Harper Road area is freehold land and any native title is therefore extinguished. It was cleared from native bushland many years ago. Any local heritage or conservation values have been lost. Therefore, the only consideration can be visual aesthetics. 3. Assessment of Visual Impacts Banjup residents assessed the visual impact of the proposed mast. By measuring angles and applying basic trigonometry, the tallest trees are between 33 and 35 metres high. Most are over 20 metres high. This diagram shows the lines of sight from neighbouring properties to the mast and the height of the tallest trees along those lines: The property to the north of the mast is the Bosworth Reserve. The neighbouring property to the west will have clear sight of the mast. The neighbouring property to the east will have an occluded view of the mast through the gum trees from their home 100 metres away: 2 of 6 BRG Not Opposing Harper Mast

3 However, there are 20 metre high gum trees 50 metres from their property that will mostly obscure the mast. They might see the top of the mast as shown in the diagram below: The properties on the south side of Harper Road opposite the mast have these views to their north: 3 of 6 BRG Not Opposing Harper Mast

4 These properties will not see the top of the mast because it will be obscured by the 30+ metre high gum trees 60 metres or more from their property. This is illustrated in the diagrams below: 4 of 6 BRG Not Opposing Harper Mast

5 The neighbour directly south of the mast would have an occluded view and could see the top 8 metres of the mast 240 metres away. This is equivalent to seeing a 1 metre mast 30 metres away: From these observations, it seems that only the neighbour to the west will have his visual amenity noticeably impaired. 5 of 6 BRG Not Opposing Harper Mast

6 The neighbour to the east will be able to see the mast through the trees but it will not dominate the treetops because of the angles from which it will be viewed through the surrounding trees. The neighbours to the south on the opposite side of Harper Road might have glimpses of the mast but they will likely not be able to see much over the surrounding treetops. 4. No Requirement for Obstacle Lighting There would be no red light at the top of the mast. The Commonwealth Civil Aviation Regulations, as applied by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), only require Obstacle Lights on structures over 110 metres high. 5. No Undue Visual Impact Some Banjup residents came to the view that the proposed mast would not unduly impact the visual aesthetics of the area. However, interpretation of unduly is entirely subjective and other residents might have different views. It is the role of Council to determine what the State Planning Policy means by unduly. 6. Alternative Sites Banjup residents also considered what alternative sites there might be for the Optus mast, given the different subjective assessments. Residents noted that much of Banjup is Banksia woodland with mature trees between 8 and 10 metres tall. If the mast were sited amongst such trees, then it would have a significant visual impact. However, the Harper Road area has stands of trees over 30 metres tall that would obscure much of the mast. Hence, if Banjup must have a mast, then the proposed site would be among those least impacting visual aesthetics. 7. No Grounds for Opposing Mast Given these facts and the constraints of the State Planning Policy, some Banjup residents can find no grounds for opposing the Optus application. 8. Mast Should Not Reflect Sunlight Should Council be minded to approve Optus application, then Banjup residents ask that a condition on Optus be that all surfaces of the mast and antennas be non-specular, that is: not able to reflect sunlight. This would include all bolts and fixings. Optus might specify that the monopole and antennas shall be matt green but, if the paint should weather off, the steel beneath will reflect sunlight that would then unduly impact visual aesthetics. 6 of 6 BRG Not Opposing Harper Mast