Council's Property & Commercial Development unit have warned that Optus's proposed new tower and base station risk becoming an unsightly, permanent addition to John Fisher Park. Quoting their response to the development application . . .
"Property advises that a proposed new pole of this height will likely attract other carriers in future to co-locate on the same pole and each other carrier will require similar equipment on ground within the Council managed Crown Reserve. This may lead to a situation where the pole and ground area become cluttered with equipment similar to the situation at Plateau Park Collaroy Plateau which has become a target for vandalism."
To illustrate the problem, the following three images show the proposed site on the Lagoon's northern bank (a) immediately after Council's huge Stage 1 weed eradication and replanting efforts in September 2019, (b) as it appears today with Stage 2 plantings, and (c) what Council says it could look like if problems being experienced in other Northern Beaches parks and reserves are anything to go by.
In 2019 this area on the northern bank of the Lagoon was rehabilitated under a multi-stage project funded with a $100,000 grant from NSW Government Environmental Trust and sponsored by state MP Mr James Griffin. Work was conducted by Northern Beaches Council in partnership with Curl Curl Lagoon Friends.
The site as it appears today with a combination of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 plantings
This last image shows the telco facility at Plateau Park, Collaroy Plateau which Council's referral report gives as an example of what the John Fisher Park facility could end up looking like. Read Council's full referral response here.
Public submissions on this Development Application can be made until Thursday 27 August 2020. Look for DA 2020/0661 on Council's website where you may make an online submission.
You can contact local MPs James Griffin (manly@parliament.nsw.gov.au, 9976-2773) and Zali Steggall (zali.steggall.mp@apg.gov.au, 9977-6411) about this proposal.
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