Proposed Replacement Telecommunications Tower - Lot 11 (No ... · existing infrastructure is located on and has lodged a fresh application for a 60m lattice frame tower. PROPOSAL

Ordinary Meeting of Council 10 May 2017

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3.8 PROPOSED REPLACEMENT TELECOMMUNICATIONS TOWER - LOT 11 (NO.945) TOODYAY ROAD, RED HILL (DA057-17)

Ward: (Swan Valley/Gidgegannup Ward) (Statutory Planning)

Disclosure of Interest: Nil

Authorised Officer: (Executive Manager Planning and Development)

KEY ISSUES

• The City’s Telecommunications Infrastructure (guyed mast) located at Lot 11, No.945 Toodyay Road, Red Hill is dated, structurally overloaded and in need of a substantial upgrade/replacement.

• The City of Swan previously proposed a 90m guyed mast telecommunications tower at ‘Joshua Mews Bushland’ (Lot 11912 Joshua Mews, Baskerville). Council, at its Ordinary Meeting on 25 January 2015, resolved to defer the proposal and for the City to investigate an extension of lease to the current site.

• In order for the project to proceed, the City of Swan seeks planning approval to construct ‘Telecommunications Infrastructure’ at a relocated location on the same property that the existing infrastructure is located, approximately 20m north-west of the existing tower. The proposal comprises a 60m high lattice tower, 48sqm equipment shelter and fencing. The primary function of the infrastructure is to support the City of Swan radio communication network.

• The application was advertised directly to owners of surrounding properties and included a newspaper advert and on-site sign, for a period of 22 days. Two submissions were received, both objecting to the proposal.

• The application is consistent with Council’s Policy on telecommunications infrastructure in terms of setbacks from residences and satisfactory management of its impact on the built and natural environment and the amenity of the locality.

It is recommended that the Council approve the proposed Telecommunications Infrastructure at Lot 11 (No.945) Toodyay Road, Red Hill, subject to conditions.

AUTHORITY/DISCRETION

LPS17 (cl.10.3)

Council has discretion in accordance with cl.10.3 of Local Planning Scheme No.17 to approve (with or without conditions) or refuse the application.


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RIGHT OF REVIEW

LPS17 (cl.10.10)

In accordance with cl.10.10 of Local Planning Scheme No.17 if the applicant is aggrieved with the decision of the Council, a right of appeal may exist in accordance with Part 3 of the State Administrative Tribunal Act 2004 and Part 14 of the Planning and Development Act 2005.

PROPOSAL AND PROPERTY DETAILS

Background

At the Ordinary Meeting on 25 February 2015, the Council considered an application for planning approval for a proposed 90m tall guyed mast telecommunications tower to replace an 80m tall guyed mast tower. The application sought approval to develop a part of the Joshua Mews Bushland reserve, located at Lot 11912 Joshua Mews, Baskerville with the intent of replacing the telecommunications infrastructure at Lot 11 (No.945) Toodyay Road, Red Hill. The Council resolved the following:

“Motion that the Council resolve to:

1) Defer consideration of the item until a future Council meeting.

2) The reason for changing the staff recommendation is to allow staff to negotiate with the landowner for the extension of the lease to allow the continued use of the current infrastructure.”

Issues considered by Council included:

• The ultimate purpose intended for the reserve; • Clearing of vegetation; and • Visual, noise and health impacts.

Since then, the City has explored leasing arrangements on the current site that the existing infrastructure is located on and has lodged a fresh application for a 60m lattice frame tower.

PROPOSAL

The application seeks approval to replace Telecommunications Infrastructure at Lot 11 (No.945) Toodyay Road, Red Hill (Attachment 1 – Location Plan). The infrastructure proposed includes a 60m tall lattice frame tower, equipment shelter and fencing (Attachment 2 – Development Plans). The infrastructure will primarily support the City of Swan communication systems; however there is scope to extend the use of the infrastructure to State Government authorities, emergency services and community based groups should the need arise.

The infrastructure proposed will replace the existing 80m high guyed mast located on the same property (to the north-western area, adjoining Weir Road); approximately 20m south east of the proposed site (Attachment 3 – Existing and Proposed Site). The existing infrastructure will be decommissioned and removed from the site upon completion of the new infrastructure.


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The subject site has dual road frontage to Toodyay Road and Weir Road. The 808 hectare lot is identified as ‘Landscape’ and ‘Resource’ under Local Planning Scheme No.17 (LPS 17) and is predominantly vegetated. A working quarry and rock processing plant operates to the south of the property, with access off Toodyay Road.

Applicant: Paul Thompson of Metrowest Pty Ltd Owner: Hanson Australia Pty Ltd Director’s Names: Zoning: LPS17 - ‘Landscape’ and ‘Resource’ MRS - ‘Rural’ Strategy/Policy: POL-C-059 – Telecommunications (Mobile Phone) Development Scheme: Local Planning Scheme No. 17 (LPS 17) Existing Land Use: Telecommunications Infrastructure, Quarry and Rock

Processing Plant Lot Area: 808.5379 ha Use Class: Telecommunications Infrastructure Use Class Permissibility: D PUBLIC CONSULTATION

Public consultation was completed as per the following and the two submissions are located in Attachment 4 – Submissions.

Duration: • 22 days from 28/02/2017 to 22/03/2017

Method:

• Newspaper – Midland/Kalamunda Reporter, published 28/02/2017

• Sign on site • Notification letters to landowners within 200m of the proposed

site • City of Swan website

Submissions received: • Two objections

CONSULTATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES AND/OR CONSULTANTS

• Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW)

• Perth Airport

No objections were received from the DPaW or Perth Airport.

ASSESSMENT

Zoning & Permissibility of Land Use


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The subject property is zoned ‘Rural’ under the Metropolitan Region Scheme and ‘Landscape’ and ‘Resource’ under the City’s Local Planning Scheme No.17. The proposed development is classified as ‘Telecommunications Infrastructure’ pursuant to LPS17 and as such is a ‘D’ use within both zones. The development is proposed within the ‘Landscape’ zone and the objectives of the zone are to:

a) provide for low density rural residential development and associated rural residential activities, recognizing the visual characteristics of the landscape;

b) ensure as far as practicable, that the environmental and landscape characteristics of the area are not compromised by development and use of the land for either rural or residential purposes;

c) encourage the rehabilitation of degraded areas through selected replanting of indigenous flora.

Local Planning Scheme No. 17 – ‘Landscape’ zone Objectives

The property has a split zoning under LPS17 and the land that the proposed tower is located on is zoned ‘Landscape’. Both submissions object to the proposal on the grounds of the visual amenity of the area being impacted. The submissions convey that the lattice tower will have a significantly larger visual impact on the surrounding areas as opposed to a guyed mast. Officer comments are provided in consideration of the proposal and the objectives of the ‘Landscape’ zone, which are outlined below.

Objective

a) provide for low density rural residential development and associated rural residential activities, recognizing the visual characteristics of the landscape;

Officer Comment The site on which the existing tower is located is already characterised by an existing 80m tall guyed mast telecommunications tower. The proposal seeks to develop a 60m lattice frame tower. If approved, the proposal will increase the perceived width of the infrastructure from the existing mast that measures 0.4m in diameter (and includes supporting guy wires) to a lattice frame that varies in diameter from 1.8m to 5.2m (at tree level). However, the height of infrastructure on the property will be reduced by 20m once the existing tower is demolished. Both objections contend that the proposal will negatively affect the views. It is considered that the visual impact on surrounding properties will be negligible as the width of the proposed tower will be offset by the height reduction and that the subject site is already characterised by telecommunications infrastructure. Objective b) ensure as far as practicable, that the environmental and landscape characteristics of

the area are not compromised by development and use of the land for either rural or residential purposes;


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Officer Comment The proposal seeks to locate the facility within the existing cleared footprint of the guyed mast tower and no vegetation will be removed. It is considered that the environmental component of this objective is satisfied. Objective c) encourage the rehabilitation of degraded areas through selected replanting of

indigenous flora.

Officer Comment If approved, the proposed tower will replace the existing tower and will be decommissioned and removed from the site. It is considered appropriate to impose a condition requiring rehabilitation of the areas no longer occupied by the decommissioned tower, which will satisfy this objective. City of Swan Policy Pol-C-059 Telecommunications (Mobile Phone) Facilities

The two objections contend that the application is inconsistent with the provisions of the policy. The predominant issues regarded concerns over visual amenity and the use of a lattice tower over the policy’s general principle preference for a slim-line pole design. These issues are discussed below.

Inconsistent with General Principle 7.1.2

This provision states that:

“Telecommunication facilities should generally be constructed of a slim-line pole design, with aerials and antennae having minimal protrusion from the pole in order to reduce their appearance.”

The proposed lattice tower has the benefit of being able to be located within the existing footprint of the guyed mast tower. It is considered that this infrastructure presents a more suitable alternative to a new guyed mast tower. The construction of the guyed wire location in the same location as the existing tower presents a problem with an unacceptable outage period that would affect the City’s various services to operate. Services that rely on this tower include the two-way radios that provide communications to the City’s fire and emergency services, rangers, works crews and rubbish collection. The Ellenbrook and Bullsbrook libraries also rely on this facility for phones, email and internet. The lattice tower in its location will allow for continued coverage.

The additional benefit of the lattice frame is its smaller footprint compared to the guyed wire tower, which is relatively smaller at 200sqm in lieu of approximately 4,000sqm. This allows the tower to be located within the existing cleared footprint and does not require any additional clearing of native vegetation.

Whilst the General Principle prefers a slim-line pole tower, it is considered appropriate in this instance for the Council to exercise its discretion and grant approval for a lattice frame tower in this location. Approval of the proposal will ensure that critical communications coverage is maintained and that there will be no unnecessary loss of native vegetation


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Visual impact

The two objections cited the adverse impact of the proposed facility on views.

The City’s policy seeks to respond to the issue of visual impact by imposing development standards that seek to achieve 30 metre setbacks from infrastructure to lot boundaries and requiring that the infrastructure is set back 200m from any dwelling or residential zoned land.

The proposed tower and its location will not result in a net increase in the number of dwellings within 200m of telecommunications infrastructure, nor include any dwellings that were not within a 200m radius beforehand.

The approximate distances between the proposed infrastructure and the dwellings on each of the properties that have objected are as follows:

22 Joshua Mews 530 metres

2 Joshua Mews No dwelling - land subject of subdivision, 340 metres to closest part of lot

(Attachment 5 – Location of Objectors) The setback of the infrastructure from the residence and other property exceeds the minimum setback specified in the Council’s adopted policy.

The visual impact of the proposed 60m high tower as viewed from the residences of any of these properties is going to be significantly influenced by these distances and the presence of existing mature vegetation that will, in many aspects, screen out the lower half of the structure and the profile of the structure itself. The tower is a three-sided lattice frame, with a truss span of approximately 5.2m at tree canopy height, reducing in width to 1.8m at its peak. The visual profile against the horizon is considered to be negligible at the distances indicated and its silhouette will likely be faint due to the nominal supporting frame widths that make up the trusses.

The visual impact of such a silhouette, especially when viewed within the visual context of existing infrastructure such as power lines and street lights, is considered to be negligible. It is considered that the width of the lattice frame will be offset by the reduction in height of the 80m tall mast.

OPTIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Option 1: The Council may resolve that the proposal is consistent with the objectives of the zone and relevant policy and accordingly grant approval pursuant to Local Planning Scheme No. 17.

Implications: The City will develop the telecommunications infrastructure.

This is recommended for adoption.


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Option 2: The Council may resolve to refuse the proposed Telecommunications Infrastructure at, Lot 11 (No.945) Toodyay Road, Red Hill, for the following reason:

1. The telecommunications infrastructure proposed will have an adverse impact on the visual amenity of the locality.

Implications: Should the City not be able to negotiate a secure lease for the use of the Hanson land it will need to identify a further alternative site fit-for-purpose. This will delay the delivery of an upgraded and reliable communications facility for the City. The location elsewhere on the site may prove problematic. There are limited areas to locate a tower in that are devoid of vegetation and the relocation to a vegetated area when there is an existing cleared footprint may prove problematic in obtaining support from State environmental agencies.

This is not the recommended option.

CONCLUSION

The City’s Telecommunications Infrastructure located at Lot 11 (No.945) Toodyay Road, Red Hill is dated, structurally overloaded and in need of substantial upgrade/replacement. In order for the project to proceed, the City of Swan seeks planning approval to construct ‘Telecommunications Infrastructure’ at the relocated site. The proposal comprises a 60m high lattice frame tower, a 48sqm equipment shelter and fencing. The primary function of the infrastructure is to support the City of Swan communication network.

The application was advertised to owners of surrounding properties for a period of 22 days. Two submissions were received, both being objections.

The application is consistent with Council’s Policy on Telecommunications infrastructure, in terms of setbacks from residences and satisfactory management of its impact on the built and natural environment and the amenity of the locality.

It is recommended that the Council approve the proposed Telecommunications Infrastructure at Lot 11 (No.945) Toodyay Road, Red Hill subject to conditions.

ATTACHMENTS

Location Plan

Development Plans

Existing and Proposed Footprint

Submissions

Location of Objectors


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STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS

Nil

STATUTORY IMPLICATIONS

Nil

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The estimated cost of development is $250,000.

VOTING REQUIREMENTS

Simple majority


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RECOMMENDATION

That the Council resolve to:

1) Pursuant to cl.68(2) of the Planning and Development Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015 approve the proposed ‘Telecommunications Infrastructure’ at Lot 11 (No.945) Toodyay Road, Red Hill, subject to the following conditions:

1. This approval is for a "Telecommunications Infrastructure", including a lattice frame tower, equipment shelter and fencing as illustrated on the following plans:

i. Locality Plan, Plan 1 of 4, date stamped 17 January 2017;

ii. Site Plan, Plan 2 of 4, date stamped 21 February 2017;

iii. Site Setout Plan, Plan 3 of 4, date stamped 17 January 2017; and

iv. Elevation Plan, Plan 4 of 4, date stamped 17 January 2017.

2. The existing 80m guyed telecommunications tower shall be removed within 120 days of the new tower coming into operation.

3. A revegetation plan shall be submitted to the satisfaction of the Manager of Planning Services prior to lodgement of a Building Permit. The plan shall identify areas previously occupied by the 80m guyed telecommunications tower, to be replanted with endemic vegetation. This shall also include a timeframe for revegetation works to be completed by.

4. Revegetation works shall be completed in accordance with the approved revegetation plan.

5. Earthworks over the site and batters must be stabilised to prevent sand blowing, and appropriate measures must be implemented within the time and in the manner directed by the City in the event that sand is blown or drifts from the site.

6. Any additional development, which is not in accordance with the application (the subject of this approval) or any condition of approval, will require further approval of the City.

ADVICE NOTES Standard advice notes apply.

2) Advise the applicant/owner of the resolution of Council and relevant advice notes pertaining to the approval.

3) Advise all those that lodged submissions of the Council's decision.

CARRIED

DISCLAIMER: Information shown here on is a composite of information from various different data sources. Users are warned that the information is provided by the City of Swan in this format as a general resource on the understanding that it is not suitable as a basis for decision making without verification with the original source.

Location Plan 19/04/2017

1:12500

Subject Site

Proposed Location


– 19/04/2017

1:4000

Existing footprint

Proposed footprint


Location of objectors 19/04/2017

1:6000

Objectors

200m radius

Documents

Proposed Replacement Telecommunications Tower - Lot 11 (No ... · existing infrastructure is located on and has lodged a fresh application for a 60m lattice frame tower. PROPOSAL