Cell mast debate heats up
Friday, 25 March 2011 00:00
Temperatures are rising in the Helderberg over applications to erect cellular telephone masts. In the past two months, Cell-C made application to erect a 25- metre high tower in the Helderberg Nature Reserve (“No to cellular mast tower”, Bolander, February 2; “The co-location conundrum”, Bolander, February 16)
Temperatures are rising in the Helderberg over applications to erect cellular telephone masts. In the past two months, Cell-C made application to erect a 25- metre high tower in the Helderberg Nature Reserve (“No to cellular mast tower”, Bolander, February 2; “The co-location conundrum”, Bolander, February 16) and last week, Boudewijn van Waesberghe, who lives at 108 Irene Avenue, Somerset West, told Bolander about a proposal by Vodacom to erect a 25 metre tower on Irene Avenue in Somerset West.
Mr van Waesberghe, who received notification via the post, is unhappy about the mast. “It will be a monstrosity if they erect that tower here. It will spoil the beautiful view which so many people stop to admire,” he said.
“From my office in Bellville, I can see masts on the surrounding hills, and not among houses. They should do something like that in Somerset West. I am also concerned about the health aspects of living close to a cell phone tower, despite what the document says.” Mr Van Waesberghe’s home is approximately 100 metres from the planned site. He suggested that an alternative site which had less of a visual impact should be sought. “I will of course be objecting,” he said.
Leslie Retief, who lives next door to Mr Van Waesberghe said: “I have a certain amount of doubt about the danger of all those microwaves whipping around, and my brain tells me that such a beautiful view should not be spoiled.”
The reservoirs (located on the open space where the proposed mast location is) aren't beautiful, but don't exactly hit you between the eyes. Also, no indication was given in the paperwork about where the tower will be. I certainly will be objecting.”
Werner Vogele, owner of the restaurant, Steffanie's Place, is also up in arms. “We received notification through the post about the mast, and we will be objecting,” he said. “The tower will obstruct the view over False Bay. In the season, we have many foreign visitors at our restaurant. They don’t want to look at a 25 metre high tower, while enjoying lunch or dinner. It will definitely affect my business.”
Environmental practitioner Mark Day of Enviroworks, who is managing the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process on behalf of applicant Vodacom, told Bolander that statutory notices had been affixed to the concrete fences surrounding the two reservoirs on the site, which include a site map indicating the two proposed locations. He appealed to all parties who have concerns to come forward. “These persons should contact me with their queries so that they can be addressed directly and registered on our records as interested and affected parties for this project. I shall then be in correspondence with them throughout the application process and they shall receive a copy of the draft basic assessment report, and other information on request,” he said via email.
Meanwhile, Cell-C’s application to put up a mast in the Helderberg Nature Reserve has taken an interesting turn. Lynda Viljoen of Hillcrest Road forwarded Bolander a letter from the Provincial Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEADP) dated March 2, in which Cell-C’s appointed EIA practitioner (Liuewe Boonstra of Warren Petterson Planning) is advised that because the mast height has been lowered to 15 metres, no environmental approval is required.
This was confirmed by Mr Boonstra telephonically on Friday. “I met with Cell-C and advised them that I had received a large number of objections to the mast (including over 100 from parents at Beaumont Primary School). They (Cell-C) said that if the mast is lowered to 15 metres, they do not have to do an IEA at all or get any form of environmental approval,” he said. He added that Cell-C had “looked at the radio plan and said that a 15-metre tower will give them the coverage they need.”
Mr Boonstra confirmed that because of a change in environmental legislation gazetted in August last year, a mast of 15 metres or under does not trigger any of the clauses in the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) that would require environmental approval, as noted in the letter from DEADP.
“The next step in the process before construction can commence is the obtaining of building plan approval, possibly a change in land use, as well as a signed lease from the City of Cape Town,” he said.
Asked whether any of the objections had been forwarded to DEADP, he said they had not been because the lowering of the mast height meant the public participation process was no longer necessary.
But Gavin Smith, environmental representative for Ward 84 forum says this is little other than sleight of hand on the part of Cell-C. “They’ve taken it out of the provincial realm and placed it on the desk of the local council. From an environmental point of view, we expect the provincial authorities to maintain oversight over what happens in the natural and built environment. As a result DEADP has not even had sighting of the many cogent arguments, not all of which were limited to visual impact, put forward by the community.” Mr Smith also pointed out that the community is now confused about what to do next, which was confirmed by Mrs Viljoen when she contacted Bolander.
Mr Boonstra said that although he was not legally obliged to inform interested and affected parties of the change, he would in any case do so, by forwarding to them the letter from DEADP.
Mrs Viljoen is far from happy. “We were left in the dark until we approached Mr Boonstra to ask what progess had been made. He then sent us the letter from the department (DEADP). As far as I know, nobody else has received it. If we had not enquired, how would we have found out about the change?” she asked. “Whether the tower is 2cm high or 200m is irrelevant. We do not want it in the (Helderberg Nature) Reserve.”
“They keep downplaying the health risks, but there is no conclusive proof that it is not dangerous to live near a cell phone mast, and until they do prove it, the health concern remains an issue,” said Mrs Viljoen.
“I will be taking the matter of co-location up with the City of Cape Town, and if application is made for a change in land use to accommodate the tower, I will also be objecting to that,” she said.
Written by Norman McFarlane You are reading Cell mast debate heats up articles
