Radio mast allowed

Press, 17 July 1980, Page 4

Radio mast allowed

The Waimairi County Council has given planning permission for a radio mast and transmitter in Lower Styx Road after reluctantly dropping, a $lOO,OOO-bond requirement oyer possible interference. . • ' ;The council had received advice from its solicitor against the imposition of the bond oh the Broadcasting Corporation as a condition of approval for the specified departure.-. ■: • The County Chairman (Mr D. B. Rich) said the council had to accept the solicitor’s advice, but he said it could become involved in an “ex-

pensive and long battle” over radio interference problems with the mast. Approval given by the council will allow the corporation to erect a 137 m high mast on a farmland site to broadcast 3ZM and 3ZB. The council’s inability to tag its consent with the bond requirement might show a loop-hole in the Town, and Country Planning Act, Mr Rich told the council. “The whole question does raise the issue of whether the law is- sufficient to deal with this sort of situation,” he said. . ■. ■’ ■; : ; - The law may exclude a bond, but this was not in the

interests of ratepayers. Mr Rich predicted “a lot of trouble” over the issue. The council’s approval does include a provision that the corporation or its agents must follow a direction from the County Engineer to remedy any interference arising from the mast’s transmission. Cr A. A. Adcock doubted whether this would be enforceable. In its decision, the council’s sub-committee which heard the application said the site was “reasonably isolated from surrounding houses and about 700 m from the nearest public road.”