2014-08-19 Planning & Organisation Committee Agenda - Pages 1-101

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA   19 AUGUST 2014




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PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                      19 AUGUST 2014

                                                                                                       ATTACHMENT 1

                    Dear Kerri Coyle,
                    NBN Co is writing in response to Council's resolution of 31 July 2014 to defer DA MCU13/0067
                   for a proposed NBN Fixed Wireless facility at Grahams Rd, Pinbarren. NBN Co notes that the
                   grounds for the Development Application deferral were:
                        1. Investigate alternative sites to locate the tower that minimise visual impacts for residents
                           and impacts on the views of Mt Cooroora.
                       2.  Provide a site plan detailing the likely area of service for the tower for the current location
                           and alternative sites investigated.
                    Before addressing these two issues individually, we wish to highlight to Council that this
                    Development Application has been the subject of a lengthy and rigorous investigation spanning
                   one year and four months.
                    Since lodging the Development Application with Sunshine Coast Regional Council on 18 April
                   2013, Council has requested an Information Request, and NBN Co has twice requested an
                   extension to the Information Request to enable us to undertake detailed site assessments and an
                   entire network re-design to facilitate alternative sites. Council has also twice extended the
                    Decision Making period to consider this Development Application.
                   We are disappointed to read the sentiments expressed this week in the Noosa News, considering
                   our continued cooperation with Council and residents regarding alternatives at Pinbarren. We
                    believe that Council has sufficient information to determine the Development Application that is
                    before it, including a detailed response to the Information Request relating to alternative sites.
                    1. Investigate Alternative Sites
                    NBN Co highlights that the Development Application currently before it already represents an
                   amendment to both the design and location of the original proposal, albeit within the same
                    property. It is nevertheless an alternative proposal to the original Development Application, which
                    has been carefully considered, and has previously required extensive network-wide revisions to
                   develop it.
                    NBN Co responded in good faith to an individual resident’s objection to the original Development
                   Application, by not only investigating alternative sites, but further, by re-designing the entire local
                   transmission network in both the newly formed Noosa Shire Council and Gympie Regional
                   Council to enable any alternative to be made.
                   To be specific, to ensure the validity of a 30m pole at a lower ground elevation, in a location
                   which takes effective advantage of existing tree screening off Grahams Rd, NBN Co has had to
                    remove transmission dishes from this proposal and relocate them to others facilities. NBN Co
                   also has had to re-direct transmission away from the Pinbarren proposal to other network
                   facilities. This was no small undertaking, both technically and commercially, and represented a
                    meaningful and significant response to the concern raised by the immediate neighbour.
                   We would reiterate that before proposing this particular alternative to Council, NBN Co did
                   consider a number of alternative sites west of Pomona Kin Kin Rd. A detailed consideration of
                   these alternative sites was previously discussed in our Response to the Information Request,
                   dated 8 May 2014.
                   We highlight to Council our advice in the Response to the Information Request, that alternative
                    locations west of Pomona Kin Kin Rd would require a facility at least 50m tall. Following Council's
                    resolution of 31 July 2014, NBN Co has requested a more detailed technical assessment from
                   our radio and transmission engineers of the necessary heights required at the three alternative
                    locations west of Pomona Kin Kin Rd, where the local ground elevation is highest. These
                    locations are:

                       e   Alternative Location 1 — 1347 Greenridge Pinbarren Road, Pinbarren
                       e   Alternative Location 2 — 1298 Greenridge Pinbarren Road,

                       8                                                                            Ss
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