Neighbourhood fights new cell tower

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Neighbourhood fights new cell tower

3News NZ

These days cell phones are like appendages. If we're not texting, we're emailing. If we're not emailing we're tweeting, Googling, uploading photos and videos, you name it.

But to do all that we need a signal and to have a signal we need to be in range of a cell phone tower or transmitter.

None of us want them in our backyard, but we expect that when there's a plan to put one there, we'd know about it. Right?

Wrong.

With 2degrees, residents in the Upper Hutt suburb of Pinehaven found that out the hard way, and are fighting to keep a 12m tower out of their family neighbourhood.

Watch the video for Rachel Tiffen’s full report.

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Comments

25/03/2013 5:03:21 a.m.

Whangaparaoa uprising wrote:

This issue is growing, 10 new cell towers by 2 Degrees in Whangaparaoa this year alone. That works out to be around 1000 new towers just in Auckland, all without any controls in place. Most of us want better reception, but not at the expense of our property values and views, nor discover in years to come we've been slowly killing ourselves. We now have some traction with councils and govt. so please visit www.improvecellsiteplanning.org.nz and complete the quick survey to have your say.

22/08/2012 9:04:19 p.m.

Brigid wrote:

2degrees has learned nothing about consultation or heeding community wishes from Pinehaven. This week In Weymouth, South Auckland they are busy installing a 14.5 cell tower less than 11m from a 89y old widow's bedroom window. There are 3 preschools and the local primary all within 180m. Over 300 Weymouth Residents asked 2degrees to place this tower further away from our homes and educational facilities. Did they listen? Of course not. Is this attitude going to gain them the customers they hope for in Weymouth? Hopefully-'of course not.'

12/06/2012 7:27:28 p.m.

Rory wrote:

We need cellphones the radiation from cell phone towers is less then the residual radiation from a home microwave! This is just people being stupid.

12/06/2012 5:51:23 p.m.

mum of four wrote:

To those who say people who object to cellphone towers being put up without consultation right outside their houses are "nimbys" - could you please contact 2Degrees and volunteer to have one outside your home. Lets see how happy you are at a drop in house value. Whatever the health effects (proven or otherwise) there is a proven effect on house prices sited next to cell towers them. Why should private citizens effectively have to subsidize big business? We worked hard for what we have and didn't feel inclined to give it away to 2Degrees.

12/06/2012 3:17:15 p.m.

mum of four wrote:

Similar thing happened to us, but the 2Degrees tower was to be 25 metres tall! As we are zoned rural one (despite being in a subdivision with homes on larger sections), this was a permitted activity, no resource consent needed, just a rubber stamp from the council. The issue of neighbouring property being devalued so they could make money seems not to have been considered in the legislation. Luckily (kinda!) there was already a 25 metre tall Telecom tower 300 metres away so we kicked up a fuss and got them to co-locate there. This is what they are supposed to do. If there is an existing tower near by this may be worth looking into. Also, check out the Commerce Commissions website for rulings relating to cellphone companies as that may provide info on similar situations. Other than that make a noise and pray they listen! They did for us but it was an awful 6 months.

12/06/2012 11:58:18 a.m.

jan wrote:

Tough, if you use a cell phone then suffer the consequences of the tower. NIMBYs. Still in saying that they should able to be placed away from densely poplulated places.

12/06/2012 11:37:35 a.m.

I dont work for 2 o wrote:

Given the amount of superstition, misinformation and plain old NIMBYism out there I am not surprised at all that we had to make a law that enables communications providers to install vital equipment despite it all. To be sure 2 degrees have dropped the ball by not notifying residents in this case. However I seriously doubt that the result would have looked any different if they had.

12/06/2012 11:37:15 a.m.

Shelley Dixon wrote:

Yet another example of big business trying to get away with flouting the bylaws and ethical work practices expected of the rest of the population. As stated in the clip, long term effects of radio frequencies at this level are unknown... 2 degress can cite all the positive research they like, but the reality is that we simply cannot yet calcuate the ill effects of citing this tower so close to my child's primary school. I will never use 2 degrees, or recommend them to anyone.

12/06/2012 6:16:22 a.m.

Sue wrote:

My son had a small part time weekend job beside a cellphone tower, and a pregnant lady who worked all week under that cellphone towers unborn baby was so deformed, they had to abort it!! Deformities of unborn babies are just one of the many side effects of cellphone towers!! NZers need to wake up and start protesting where these highly dangerous towers are being installed!

12/06/2012 6:11:25 a.m.

AB wrote:

Two Degrees has planted one over the road from my children's school!! Absolute sickening when a Cell Phone Company has been sued successfully in America for doing something similar in a playground and a high percentage of children who played regularly in this playground got tumours and brain cancer- We NZers are naive and just letting it happen, which ultimately could kill us and our vulnerable children which are exposed to these- Two Degrees is especially guilty of no consultation- Two Degrees move your cell phone Towers well away from our Schools not plant them across the road from our vulnerable growing children!!