The Star: April 13, 2023

The Star Thursday April 13 2023
12
NEWS
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Call for cellphone tower to be moved
• By Heidi Slade
REDCLIFFS residents are calling
for a cellphone tower to be
relocated.
Digital infrastructure company
FortySouth has begun upgrades
to the tower on Beachville Rd and
the Christchurch Coastal Pathway,
which involves installing a
new tower less than a metre away
from the existing site.
But locals and community
organisations say the new tower,
which is more than twice as wide
as the existing one, should be
relocated.
“That tower will dominate all
the views,” Redcliffs resident
Zara Fleming said.
“This is a really special place so
it deserves special consideration.”
Work to upgrade the existing
tower, built in 2003, began in late
March.
The tower will be the same
height as the existing one, and
will remain in the same area,
FortySouth head of external
affairs Lisa Mulitalo said.
“The cell site . . . will not extend
any further into the footpath
than the existing equipment,”
Mulitalo said.
However, it will be wider. The
existing pole has a diameter
of 11.4cm. The new pole has a
diameter of 27.3cm.
“We have selected the slimmest
pole possible to structurally
support the new equipment,”
Mulitalo said.
Work is currently on hold until
April 20, so FortySouth and One
NZ can communicate plans to
nearby residents, as they failed to
do so in an initial letter.
“Detailed plans were not
initially shared with neighbours,
but that has now been done and
we have apologised for not doing
this when we first wrote to them,”
Mulitalo said.
In the new letter sent to
residents, FortySouth provided
an email address for queries and
feedback.
But Redcliffs residents are
calling for FortySouth to
consider alternative locations
for the upgrade and to carry out
consultation.
“We would be disappointed to
UPGRADE: Redcliffs residents are urging FortySouth to investigate alternative locations for
the new cellphone tower, which will be 0.75m northeast of the original tower (inset).
PHOTOS: ZARA FLEMING
see (the current tower) getting
more obtrusive,” Redcliffs
Residents’ Association secretary
Pat McIntosh said.
Pat
McIntosh
Hanno
Sander
The association was alerted to
the details of the upgrade by a
resident on Saturday, April 1.
“Before then we only knew
works were happening,”
McIntosh said.
“The company is quite correct
to say they can rebuild where
they are . . . we’re just asking
them to consider other options.”
Fleming, who lives nearby,
sought out more information
after receiving a letter in her
mailbox stating there would be
an upgrade.
She said an installation crew
arrived on Thursday, March 30.
She said she was told by the
crew the tower would only be
slightly wider.
When the new pole was bought
to the site, Fleming thought it
was massive.
“I thought, that’s not slightly
wider, it’s huge,” she said.
After seeing the size of the new
tower, Fleming and her husband
did some research. She said the
dimensions for the upgraded
tower had been left off paperwork
sent to the city council.
“You couldn’t tell how much
bigger it was going to be,” she
said.
Like the resident’s association,
Fleming is asking FortySouth to
investigate other locations.
She also thinks the company
should have consulted the
community and residents.
“If you’re a private company
using public land, you have
a responsibility to properly
consult with the people affected,”
Fleming said.
City council head of planning
and consents John Higgins
said consultation is usually the
responsibility of the operator.
“Sometimes, if the cell
tower significantly exceeds
the standards, then formal
consultation is undertaken under
HAVE YOUR SAY: What
do you think about the
cellphone tower upgrade?
Email your responses in
200 words or less to barry@
starmedia.kiwi
the resource consent process.
“This wasn’t the case here.”
The Christchurch Coastal
Pathway Group moved a
unanimous motion at a meeting
last Tuesday, put forward by
CCPG chair Hanno Sander:
“That the Christchurch Coastal
Pathway Group’s key objective
is to promote the creation of
a 4m wide shared pathway
which includes the Beachville
Esplanade.
“CCPG was not consulted on
the proposed changes to the cell
tower, which will block a large
section of the pathway. Our
position is that the placement of
any structures on the pathway is
unacceptable.”
Sander said the group’s main
concern was structures built on
the path.
“We don’t want structures built
on the pathway blocking the path
of users,” he said.
The cellphone tower upgrade is
part of a nationwide programme
FortySouth has been carrying
out over the last couple of years.
It has been both upgrading and
building new towers throughout
New Zealand, as well as
working on other sites in
Christchurch.
CELLPHONE
TOWER:
FortySouth
began work on
the upgrade
at Beachville
Rd and the
Christchurch
Coastal
Pathway last
month.
Showcase your business!
Exhibit to over 10,000 potential customers across three days!
You could feature in Canterbury’s most highly marketed Home and Leisure show. This is the perfect opportunity to reach
new customers, generate ongoing leads and boost your brand’s awareness. Stands are available in a range of sizes to suit
all budgets. We also have a new exhibitor pack and monthly payment options available to get you started.
Your business or services may also fit into
one of our unique zones, including:
30 Jun - 2 Jul 2023
Christchurch Arena
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
We have STandS available To SuiT all budgeTS!
Contact Shane now on 021 381 765 or email shane@starmedia.kiwi for a no obligation quote. Payment options available. Terms & Conditions apply.