THE removal of a telecommunications “black spot” at Kalangadoo is drawing closer with planning approval for a new 52-metre mobile phone tower.
The Wattle Range Council Assessment Panel recently gave conditional consent to Vision Stream which will build the tower on behalf of Telstra.
It will be erected on farming land and in close proximity to an existing NBN tower.
Council planning officer Mark Thredgold recommended the “green light” be given to the project.
Mr Thredgold said the federal and state governments encouraged telecommunications companies to invest heavily in the continued rollout of the Blackspot Program to service regional areas.
“This will supply access to reliable mobile phone and internet, which is considered by modern standards to be a required and fundamental service for economic growth and essential service to the broader community,” Mr Thredgold said.
“The development will not impact on the existing land use or disfigure the surrounding landscape.
“The application received no representations from the category three public notification process.
“This indicates that adjoining landholders and the Kalangadoo community generally support the proposed development.”
According to Mr Thredgold, the application has numerous social and economic benefits for Kalangadoo and surrounding communities by providing faster, more reliable 4G mobile services.
“As Kalangadoo is a vibrant population with no public transport, the community is dependent on mobile and Internet services for the essential provisions of medical services, schools, government departments, emergency services, commerce, home business, agriculture and the ability to communicate with family and friends.
“Therefore, support of this development will supply the region with more effective methods of communication and significant social benefits well into the future.”
