Certificate issued for rail tunnel phone tower
A Complying Development Certificate has been issued for a telecommunications tower in the Woy Woy Rail tunnel - one of three development applications lodged since June 2019 to improve mobile phone reception along the rail corridor.
Three development applications, two construction certificates and one complying development certificate have been issued since June 2019 for a location referred to as Hawkesbury River property number 96544 Lot 105, DP 1184403.
The most recent lodgement, on 16 June 2020, was the Complying Development Certificate for a Telstra telecommunication facility (Woy Woy Rail Tunnel).
The Central Coast Council planning portal does not include any documents related to this certificate.
The estimated cost of works is listed as $2 million and the matter was determined by a private certifier, Broadline Consulting Pty Ltd.
Of the multiple development applications recently related to this site, a $250,000 application for a nominated integrated telecommunications tower lodged a year ago does not have a corresponding development certificate, according to the Council planning tracker.
That development is for a mobile phone base station including a 16.9 metre monopole and antennas.
A planning report submitted with the application describes the site of the facility as "Wondabyne".
The Statement of Environmental Effects submitted to support the application said: "Telstra is proposing to install a new telecommunications facility along the railway line at Wondabyne.
"The proposed facility is to provide improved Telstra 4G coverage to rail commuters and other users moving through Wondabyne, and also to the surrounding area.
"The proposed facility will provide enhanced in-building coverage and mobile services to the community, businesses, emergency services and travellers in the area, and will form an integral part of Telstra's mobile telecommunications network along the rail corridor between Hornsby and Gosford."
The property owner is listed as Transport for NSW and the application "for approval under Gosford LEP 2014" on land zoned SP2 Infrastructure.
A report submitted with the application provided a summary of levels of radiofrequency electromagnetic energy around the wireless base station at Wondabyne site 4818.
"These levels have been calculated by Telstra using methodology developed by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency," the report said.
The maximum energy level calculated for the proposed changes at the site was 1.43 per cent out of the 100 per cent public exposure limit, 80 metres from the location.
The second application for the site, submitted on 1 July 2019, was given development consent in October 2019.
It included installation of: an equipment mount fixed into the rock wall of the railway line cutting, with a centreline height of 12m above ground level; two panel antennas, both with dimensions of 2533mm x 350mm x 208mm; associated ancillary equipment, including tower-mounted amplifiers, combiners and feeders; and an equipment cabinet.
Total height of the facility is 13.35m.
Maximum energy recorded for that proposal was 3.41 per cent of the total public exposure limit 63 metres from the location.
A third application for a telecommunications tower was lodged on 4 July 2019 and received consent on October 24.
Maximum energy levels at the site for proposed changes were 1.43 per cent of public safety limits.
The zoning of this location was E1 National Park and W2 Recreational Waterways.
The proposal was for a new lattice mobile telecommunications facility along the railway line to the
north of the Wondabyne train station.
The tower will be mounted with two panel antennas each measuring 2533mm x 350mm x 208mm
resulting in a combined tower height of 16.27m
The installation of associated ancillary equipment, including tower mounted amplifiers, combiners
and feeders and an outdoor cabinet.
SOURCE:
DA Tracker, 25 Jun 2020
DA56767/2019, DA56788/2019, DA56811/2019, CC58578/2020
Central Coast Council