At their meeting this week, councillors voted for more time and more information on the proposed Optus tower at Wire Lane, about two kilometres east of Camperdown.

Two objections were received on the plan for the lattice tower, with concerns including its location close to houses and the visual and health impacts.

Speaking on behalf of Optus, James McIver said the tower would help provide continuous mobile phone coverage on the Princes Highway between Weerite and Camperdown and it was not possible to co-locate the tower with similar telecommunications facilities in the region.

“If it doesn’t proceed then we will start to see a lot more network issues – call drop-outs – as the demand for services increases,” he said. “We’re really trying to provide a facility that is going to provide the needs of the future as well as the immediate benefit.”

Councillor Simon Illingworth said the need for the tower was made clearer when a coverage map was presented to councillors two hours before the meeting, although he and Cr Ruth Gstrein pointed out that this new information contradicted what was on the Optus website.

“I just don’t believe it’s acceptable to be given a map two hours before a decision that, indeed, contradicts what is on the internet about Optus blackspots,” he said.

The council will consider the tower again at its May meeting.