Cellphone tower outrage in Papamoa | Bay of Plenty News | Local News in Bay of Plenty

The construction of another cellphone tower near Papamoa child care centres has outraged the people who live and work nearby.

The new 2 Degrees tower is this week being erected in Enterprise Drive, barely 50m from a Vodafone tower across the road. Another cell phone tower stands about 300m away in Parton Rd.

Residents, businesses and schools in the area say they were not notified the tower was being built.

Papamoa Primary School principal Phil Friar said the tower would be the second within 100m of the school.

"My concern is based around the potential impact on our students and what this could mean for them in the future."

Mr Friar feared the tower could result in "significant health issues" if fears that they contributed to cancer and other health problems were true.

Mr Friar said he would have expected cellphone towers to be erected in areas with minimum potential for impacting on the health and welfare of local residents, especially children.

While he understood the demand for effective communication, he would like to see planning permission reviewed, the building of the Enterprise Drive tower stopped and future towers positioned "well away from educational facilities".

A representative for a nearby pre-school said they were "very concerned" at another tower going up.

The woman, who asked only to be known as Raewyn, did not want the pre-school identified for fear their location to the tower would prevent parents wanting to drop off their children.

"We are frustrated that we can't do anything about it once it's up."

The tower is also near ABC Developmental Learning Centre in Parton Rd.

Chief executive Rob Facer called for a conclusive report on whether cellphone towers were dangerous. Until then, it was hard to make an informed decision about them, he said.

The new tower is situated next to Papamoa Panel and Paint, which is owned by Daniel Olds.

Mr Olds was disgusted the tower was being built near children.

"We support the community and the schools and I think it's disgusting they will put it up where there's children.

"It needs to be stopped. People live here."Cabinet maker Graham Strange already has a Vodafone tower outside his front door in Enterprise Drive, which he says has left him with headaches since it was put up about two years ago.

The tower is less than 10m from Mr Strange's workshop's front door and his home also backs on to the workshop.

He had been unable to lease the front of building since the tower was built.

"They devalue a property. It's detrimental," he said.

"My guys [employees], they are concerned for their health. It's like a microwave."

Tauranga City Council principal planner Rebecca Perrett said resource consent was required for cellphone towers in most areas but the constructions are permitted in some areas such as on a road in a rural area.

"Where resource consent is not required, it would depend on where the proposed site is as to whether we need any further information," she said.

"The Proposed City Plan has changed some of our rules regarding telecommunication towers.

"People concerned about cellphone towers being proposed near their homes need to contact the telecommunication company responsible for it."

Rod Luxton, who owns the piece of land where the tower is being built, said he made an agreement with 2 Degrees on the condition appropriate resource consent for the tower was obtained.

He had believed neighbours would be consulted before anything went ahead.

"That's what I thought they were going to do.

"I'm in no way about hacking my neighbours off," Mr Luxton said.

"I probably would not have done it if I knew if would upset the neighbours so much."

Communications manager for 2 Degrees Michael Bouliane confirmed work had started on cellphone towers being built in the Tauranga area this week, including Enterprise Drive.

However, Mr Bouliane would not reveal the number of towers or whether 2 Degrees had a policy regarding construction of towers near childcare centres and schools.

"When choosing mobile phone site locations we try to choose and design sites that will have have the least possible impact on the community and the environment," Mr Bouliane said.

"We always consider co-location and co-siting first and, where possible, we choose industrial and commercial areas where there are existing structures."

Mr Bouliane said 2 Degrees recognised some people might be concerned.

"We'd like to assure them that we have taken every step to make sure the equipment we have in the community meets the rigorous standards set by the Ministry of Health."