Digital Train Radio System Kingsgrove BTS Site Review of ...

4.10 Visual Aesthetics and Urban Design
Existing Situation
The visual landscape surrounding the proposed site includes the East Hills railway line, Kingsgrove
Station and associated overhead power lines.
Residential dwellings are located on Kingsgrove Road and Kingsgrove Avenue to the north,
York Street to the north-east and Shaw Street to the south of the proposed site.
Potential Impacts
During construction the visual environment will be altered temporarily through the presence of
work buildings, plant and equipment, such as trucks.
When the site is operational, a new 25 metre high monopole will be partially visible from on
Kingsgrove Road, Kingsgrove Avenue, York Street and Shaw Street. The 1.7 metre high
cabinets may also be visible from Kingsgrove Road and Kingsgrove Avenue as well as
commuters of the Kingsgrove railway station.
A consideration of the impact of the new monopole should consider the visual sensitivity and
magnitude. A photomontage of the new monopole is provided as a guide in Figure 4. The actual
location and height of the monopole are stated as above. Other power poles and railway
infrastructure are located in the immediate area, so the new monopole will be consistent with
elements of the existing visual environment.
Visual sensitivity relates to the number of people who are likely to see the facility and their
possible expectations of visual quality. For example, commercial properties are generally
considered less sensitive than private residences. The site is in an area of medium sensitivity
given the close proximity to residential receivers.
The visual magnitude is derived from the scale and level of visual contrast between the
proposed facility and existing visual environment. The new steel monopole will be approximately
25 metres high. It is not a bulky structure and is consistent with elements of the existing visual
environment, such as the overhead cables and other communications poles located in the area
and around the railway line. The new monopole will not be a dominant part of the visual
landscape.
Visual impact is then generally determined by reference to both visual sensitivity and visual
magnitude. Various combinations of visual sensitivity and visual magnitude produce low,
moderate and high levels of impact. For this proposal the sensitivity of the area is moderate
given the presence of residential receivers; however the magnitude of the impact area will be
low given the existing visual environment. The overall impact is considered to be moderate.
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