Plans for a Telstra mobile phone tower at Bushfield have raised the ire of some locals who want it moved further away from their properties.
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Telstra has made a development application to Warrnambool City Council to build a $250,000 35-metre 4G and 5G tower on McKenzies Road at Bushfield.
Telstra described its application as early planning work and said there was no timeline for construction.
More than 250 signatures have been collected on two petitions opposed to the plan which would sandwich some residents between two towers 500 metres apart.
The petitions call for the tower to be moved and to not have another one so close to the existing NBN/Optus tower at the nearby Bushfield Recreation Reserve.
Neal Wilcock, whose mother's property is the nearest house to the tower, criticised the consultation process for the project, which he said had caused division within the community.
Mr Wilcock said residents hadn't been kept in the loop and a lack of consultation before the application was made prevented them having a say in where the tower should be located. He wants the application to be withdrawn from council so better consultation can be carried out.
Mr Wilcock said the tower would be 145 metres from his mother's front windows.
Objectors say they are concerned visual impacts and devaluation of their properties.
Mr Wilcock said objectors wanted the tower as far away from houses as possible.
"From a personal point of view, it affects your health, it affects the dynamics in the community. In the end, it's divisive," he said.
There is no definitive scientific evidence which suggests towers are detrimental to health.
Objectors also said that a 2013 onsite meeting for the NBN tower was told there would only ever be one telecommunications tower located in Bushfield, but now there is a plan for a second.
The issue is expected to come before councillors for consideration.
Telstra said a number of sites in the area had been looked at but the chosen location was identified as the most effective. Telstra said it was unable to co-locate its facilities on the existing tower.
Telstra regional general manager Steve Tinker said it was doing the planning work for a new mobile site which would provide dedicated coverage to Bushfield.
"The proposed site is crucial to boost coverage, reduce congestion and improve the experience for our customers in Bushfield and northern areas of Warrnambool," Mr Tinker said.
"We've submitted a development application to the local council and we'll continue to speak to locals as part of the planning process."
He said the nearest Telstra site was more than 4km away in Warrnambool North.
The proposed new site would have full 4G and 5G capability, which was rolled out in Warrnambool in November.
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