139 Bungower Road Somerville VIC 3912

Tower will be an eyesore in the view from properties higher along Bungower Rd and on the ridge looking towards Western Port Bay thereby devaluing them.
Removal of any native vegetation is also not acceptable for same reason. It would not be allowed along any esplanades in front of properties overlooking ocean in Mornington, Mt Martha, Mt Eliza.
Since the introduction of NBN cabling to this part of Somerville there should be no need of a tower for local resident internet or communication.

I can speak on behalf of around half the population of Somerville, as I have conducted surveys which revealed the appalling level of mobile phone coverage in the eastern half of Somerville.

I fully support the proposed mobile phone tower development as part of the creation of a network to provide a basic level of mobile phone coverage in Somerville.

The availability of mobile phone coverage has emerged as a basic human right. Somerville residents on the east side of the Jones Rd Escarpment have poor to zero coverage. I have documented evidence of people being unable to call for an ambulance, in one case due to serious injuries after a fall, and a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction in another. Many elderly residents in the local retirement village are unable to contact emergency services or their relatives.

Many residents to the east of the Jones Rd escarpment have poor to zero mobile coverage, and cannot reliably conduct their employment or personal business by mobile phone. Working from home is often not an option for those affected.

The installation of the NBN system has not resolved the poor mobile coverage, and fails whenever there is an electricity outage. It is therefore impossible to call for help during storm conditions, when the power has failed and there is physical damage to the urban environment (powerlines down, trees fallen onto houses, etc).

I strongly urge Council not to be influenced by objectors who already have mobile phone coverage. Further, I urge Council not to be influenced by objections along the lines of "vegetation will be removed" or "it will spoil the view". These self-centred objections are absolutely disgusting to those of us who have no mobile coverage, and live in constant fear of being unable to call for help when we need it. Thank you.

Please keep me informed of progress of this important and vital project.

I can speak on behalf of around half the population of Somerville, as I have conducted surveys which revealed the appalling level of mobile phone coverage in the eastern half of Somerville.

I fully support the proposed mobile phone tower development as part of the creation of a basic level of mobile phone coverage in Somerville.

The availability of mobile phone coverage has emerged as a basic human right. Somerville residents on the east side of the Jones Rd Escarpment have poor to zero coverage. I have documented evidence of people being unable to call for an ambulance, in one case due to serious injuries after a fall, and a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction in another. Elderly residents in the local retirement village are unable to contact emergency services or their relatives.

Many residents to the east of the Jones Rd escarpment have poor to zero mobile coverage, and cannot reliably conduct their employment or personal business by mobile phone. Working from home is not an option for those affected.

The installation of the NBN system has not resolved the poor mobile coverage, and fails whenever there is an electricity outage. It is therefore impossible to call for help during storm conditions, when the power has failed and there is physical damage to the urban environment (powerlines down, trees fallen onto houses, etc).

I strongly urge Council not to be influenced by objectors who already have mobile phone coverage. Further, I urge Council not to be influenced by objections along the lines of "vegetation will be removed" or "it will spoil the view". These self-centred objections are absolutely disgusting to those of us who have no mobile coverage, and live in constant fear of being unable to call for help when we need it. Thank you.

As a resident of Somerville for more than 35 years, I find it absolutely incredible that we residents east of Jones Road have not had an adequate, reliable mobile phone service provided to them before now! The installation of the NBN has done nothing to improve the situation. In fact, a lot of the time, the internet in our home is also sketchy, at best!

Our health and safety have been put at risk when we are unable to make, or receive calls or messages. This must surely be a denial of basic human rights?

Nearly every time I make or receive mobile communication, I am forced to walk around until I can get service, sometimes even having to leave my home in order to stay connected! We ARE NOT a Third World country without adequate resources, and yet we here in Somerville have been treated as if our needs don’t exist.

I can only presume that those who complain about “losing” their view, or having a few trees removed, don’t live on the eastern side of town and that they enjoy adequate mobile coverage, because they would not object to the project going ahead if they were disadvantaged as we are.

It is VITAL that planning approval be given, and that the tower be built immediately.

So to those who do not object to the proposed tower, shall it be popped in your backyard then? Or maybe your next door neighbour’s backyard? How about right beside your driveway where you access your property several times a day? That will put an end to all of these debates and you can then be the benevolent heroes of Somerville and its persisting telecommunications issue. Problem solved.

Just be sure to remember the following questions and scenarios as this is what you will probably be sacrificing for your altruism and the benefit of Somerville’s telecommunications service.

How will you feel about the exponential decrease in your state government unimproved land value and retail property value over the coming decades? The owners of the property that the tower will be located on are going to be compensated very handsomely but you won’t be receiving any compensation even though it may aswell be on your land due to the proximity and the financial domino effect it will have. Would that be ok?

The property in question’s zoning will also change from ‘Rural Residential’ to ‘Telecommunications’.
What impact will neighbouring
5 acres of Telecommunication zoned land have on your property value and future development? You don’t know? Neither do I and it’s very concerning for our future circumstances.

You need to call council and jump through hoops to get permission to remove a dead dangerous tree just to repair an existing fence that one of its dead branches dropped on. But there is no issue with erecting a TelCo tower next door?

Will you feel 100% confident that the health of your growing children and livestock will be uncompromised?

The proposed tower is close to if not on a flight path into Tyabb Airfield. But that’s ok, there will be a few annoying flashing red lights on top of the tower to warn pilots when it’s dusk and dark. Phew.
But wait, the lights have blown and it’s 5-10 working days before a technician can fix it. Will that make you anxious and fear for the safety of the aircraft and its pilot every time you hear a plane flying over at dusk or night until it’s fixed? I know I will be. Or is Tyabb Airfield going to have to change its flight paths?

To construct and access the tower, the technicians and their machinery need to utilise your shared driveway that all owners in this area pay to maintain privately.
Oh No, the machinery has damaged the access and it’s popped your tyre as you were getting home. Do you think they’ll fix it in a timely manner? Do you think they’ll pay for the repair of your tyre?

There will potentially be security cameras on top of the tower also. There goes your privacy.

Local businesses seem to be a concern. Another resident owns a large horse agistment neighbouring the tower. I wonder if they will lose customers or have to lower their fees to compensate being next to the tower?

The tower will also be located in a low spot of this area so it probably won’t have the all powerful Wonderful Wizard of Oz reaching effects that people think it will. But who cares, chuck it up anyway.

For the record, I also experience stupidly patchy internet service and also have been known to wander around the place to get a signal and we also have need to run our business from home on occasion. That is why we have retained a landline.

So I am actually one of the 50% of Somerville residents that people presume to be speaking on behalf of. However, I am also one of the ‘ disgusting’ (quote) people opposed to the tower.
Hmmm, what a conundrum.

I have also read on Telstra’s website (yes my internet is working today) that when ringing 000 or 112 in cases of emergency from a mobile when there is no service, the calls are answered by Telstra Emergency Operators and then patched through to the 000 line. I unfortunately have had to cause to contact 000 a couple of times in my over a decade of residing here and have never had a problem reaching help.

Putting the Environmental Impact and Visual Pollution aside, the points above are just a few more of the valid concerns that you should consider when you discover through community gossip that one of your close neighbours has agreed to be well paid to erect a Telecommunications tower on their property next to you or if you indeed choose to take the offer up yourself.

If you’ve gotten this far, thanks for your time. Please don’t forget to inform the council if you would like the tower in your backyard or if not, maybe your neighbour does? Ask around. I am too ‘disgusting’ and ‘self centred’ to agree to it. Enjoy spending your not too shabby compensation payment if you do choose the tower option.

PS - We also received the same offer from the same private Telco company in our letter box and declined.

The proposal responds appropriately to the relevant planning scheme matters and should be supported.

The proposal is an "acceptable planning outcome" based on the Knox v Tulcany rule.

The proposal will not unreasonably impact upon the surrounding site amenity.

The proposal responds appropriately to the Clause 65 VPP matters.

The proposal responds appropriately to the emerging character of the surroundings.

The proposal provides an essential service upgrade to maintain quality of services to the surroundings noting growth in population, mobile device penetration, motor vehicle traffic and visitation.