Optus upgrade plans blocked

By Melissa Meehan
SHIRE of Yarra Ranges councillors quashed plans for a bid by Optus to upgrade their telecommunication facilities in the Healesville area at this week’s council meeting.
Optus lodged an application to build an 18m slimline monopole at the rear of the Reece Plumbing centre on the north east corner of Maroondah Highway and Green Street.
In 2004, Optus was granted approval for the facility but did not act on the permit and in turn had to re-apply for the permit.
Ryrie Ward councillor Jeanette McRae asked why Optus had taken so long to act on the permit granted for the facility almost four years ago.
A spokesman for Daly International said that Optus had a budget each year and that it was putting its money into areas that had no Optus coverage.
He said that Optus was now focusing on areas that had issues or gaps of coverage, and Healesville and surrounding areas were of concern.
Cr Warren said that since there was already an existing pole on the property, the new pole would not disturb anyone.
“Telecommunication is an important part of life,” Cr Warren said.
But Cr McRae argued that the shire’s telecommunication policy was not taken into consideration in the application and called for her fellow councillors to block the application.
She claimed that the policy said that telecommunication facilities were not recommended to be built within 100 metres of resident property, and that the proposed premises is only 46 metres away from such properties.
The decision was deferred until the next council meeting so that councillors could further investigate the telecommunications policy.