Wyndham council has knocked back a proposed phone tower slated for a small Hoppers Crossing park.
The council, which had originally given the green light for Vodafone to install a 20-metre phone tower and adjoining equipment shelter at Hunt Court Reserve, reconsidered its position after neighbouring residents held a protest in November.
Seventy-nine residents also lodged formal objections through the council, concerned that the tower planned for the corner of Morris and Hogans roads would take away valuable public space and open up the area to vandalism.
An officer’s recommendation advised the council to lease the land out to Vodafone, but a motion raised by councillor Peter Maynard to refuse to grant a lease was approved last week.
Cr Mia Shaw said the decision should set a precedent for how local areas were developed.
Cr Kim McAliney said that from this point onwards, Vodafone could only lodge an appeal to the Supreme Court on grounds of procedural error and that the council had covered its bases.
“To see that monstrosity in a park of that size – it simply would not fit in with the amenity of that area,” Cr McAliney said.
Hunt Court resident Steve Hardeman said locals were thrilled to see the council reject the lease.
