A protest to stop the construction of an NBN tower held at Clothiers Creek, west of Cabarita Beach, on Monday (March 9) highlighed many months of attempts by residents to halt the project.
Resident Josh Broom told Echonetdaily that NBN Co had contracted Ericsson, who then contracted Visionstream, to install the tower.
Mr Broom told Echonetdaily, ‘Reports have been obtained from valuers and real estate agents stating the expected losses on surrounding home values, [which are] quite substantial amounts.’
Blood tests taken
He says residents have also undertaken blood count tests prior to the tower being installed. ‘NBN has been advised that liability for any negative trends in blood work rests with them,’ he said.
‘The Environmental Defenders Office maintains that the Local Environment Plan takes precedence and the tower is being constructed illegally,’ Mr Broom said.
‘Security guards have been posted overnight, every night. Contractors have been onsite all day and the area is fenced.’
As for the distance the tower will be from houses, Mr Broom says one home is 66 metres, the next is 87 metres, then 115 metres and the last home is 150 metres.
‘A further six houses are within 500 metres of the tower and seven children live within 500 metres of the tower.’
Police in attendance
Photographer Marie Cameron reports the Hammond Drive NBN protest group is already at the tower fence and the police have been attending.
‘The community has planted thousands of koala trees and have worked hard to create a koala zone. They see the tower as a threat to the koalas and their lives. The street has a lot of families with young children.
‘Generally speaking the community is not against NBN; they simply do not want to live under a tower,’ Ms Cameron said.
Ericsson’s media spokesperson has not responded to Echonetdaily’s requests for comment.
NBN tower could be placed on any of the many hills and knolls in the area, including co-locating it with the other telcos tower site. NBN could move to a site where there was less impact, but if that area is just not feasible then NBN can’t provide that guaranteed coverage.
The home should get great mobile and WiFi service……
Keep up the fight.. one of these towers was erected about 100 meters from my home,, since it has been switched on i have suffered from nausea and headaches ,, if i go out for a few hours symptoms disapear and return after a few hours of coming home.. get in touch if you would like to test it for your self