35m tower within 200m of houses

Telecommunications towers or poles, while not attractive structures and with no architectural merit, had "become part of the modern environment and are required to enable people to access technology and services", according to Shellharbour City Council.

This was in part justification for Council approval of a 35m telecommunications tower with a three panel antenna and equipment shelter, to be built within less than 200m of homes in Churnwood Place, Albion Park Rail.

While the proposal will result in some electromagnetic radiation, based on the information submitted the emissions "are predicted to fall well within acceptable levels", according to Council.

While the Shellharbour Development Control Plan seeks to discourage towers in areas of high aesthetic significance or where there are heritage items/areas/ streetscapes, the proposal for Churnwood Place and surrounds "is not inconsistent in this requirement", according to Council.

The proposed tower generated vigorous debate in Council. Cr Christine Jeffreys and Cr Barry Bird were dismissive of the "fear factor" concerning electromagnetic radiation from such a tower, with Cr Jeffreys claiming emissions were higher from a microwave oven. Cr Geoff Rose said he was astounded that while the health impacts of electromagnetic transmissions were yet to be understood, "all of a sudden a couple of councillors are overnight experts on the subject".

The proposed tower, to be built within the Croom rural landscape, will provide coverage for the mobile telephone 3G fast transmission wireless broadband data network service.

The site of the proposed tower - on vacant land off the end of Woollybutt Drive, immediately adjacent to the CSR Readymix site - is affected by the Obstacle Limitation Surface Plan for the Illawarra Regional Airport, exceeding normal airport height restrictions by 5.8metres.

A steel pole at the Albion Park Oval was investigated as an alternative, however "the location of a shed proved to be problematic given the location of the poles relative to the playing fields", according to Council. A timber pole at the same oval was "deemed to be too close" to residential properties and sensitive landuses. And, after "exhaustive negotiations", no agreement could be reached with CSR Readymix for location of the tower on CSR land.

The applicant, John and Gillian Szakacs' 3GIS Pty Limited, advised Shellharbour City Council that while the tower could be lower, their development application "accommodates future network needs in the area and therefore eliminated the need to future applications to Council with each subsequent upgrade".

According to Council, assessments were made from key vantage points and residential areas nearby and some distance away, noting the landform, existing structures and backdrops.

The landscape was "determined to be capable of absorbing a degree of change".