Residents have fiercely opposed a plan to build a 25-metre phone tower among suburban homes in Lake Macquarie.
Lake Macquarie councillors will debate the development application for the telecommunications facility in Mount Hutton at Monday night's meeting at the Hunter Sports Centre.
The council received 13 submissions opposed to the telecommunications facility.
Mount Hutton resident Austin Van Capelle said a "telecommunications tower within a peaceful, tranquil, and predominantly natural bushland environment is wholly inappropriate and contrary to community expectations".
Another resident, Jennifer Richards, said the tower would be located approximately three metres from the boundary fences of two neighbouring residential properties.
"In this context, a 25-metre structure would loom over and visually dominate," Ms Richards' submission said.
Downer EDI Limited, on behalf of digital infrastructure company Indara Corporation, proposes to build the facility on Hunter Water-owned land at 76 Auklet Road in Mount Hutton.
The area is zoned R2 low density residential, which allows for a maximum building height of 8.5 metres.
The facility includes a 25-metre single free-standing pole, one turret headframe supporting nine panel antennas, and ancillary infrastructure and works, including two outdoor equipment cabinets, 2.4-metre-high security fencing and other associated services.
As the 25-metre tower exceeds the maximum height by 194 per cent, approval is required from the elected council.
It is also located within metres of existing homes in Auklet Road.
An environmental electromagnetic energy (EME) report stated that the tower would emit a maximum of 2.30 per cent of the allowed EME under Australian regulations.
Lake Macquarie City Council staff have recommended its approval.
Indara argues in the Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE) that the facility will improve mobile phone and data coverage for Optus customers in Mount Hutton, which is considered a telecommunications black spot.
Before the Albanese Labor government's election in 2022, Member for Shortland Pat Conroy advocated in parliament for phone reception improvements in Mount Hutton.
"There are no existing base stations specifically servicing this part of Mount Hutton, and the existing base stations in the wider surrounding area are generally too far away, poorly positioned or otherwise limited from a technical perspective," Indara said in the SEE.
"As such, they are unable to provide the required network quality and capacity needed to accommodate either the existing or future residents and business in the area.
"With the population and development density of the Mount Hutton area expanding, there is a significant social, economic and safety impetus to improve mobile coverage and network capacity in this location."
Four other locations were considered for the phone tower.
These include 388 Warners Bay Road, Mount Hutton; the Newcastle Inner City Bypass road reserve at Hillsborough; 368 Warners Bay Road, Mount Hutton and 5 Nalya Close in Charlestown.
All were deemed unsuitable due to the impact on vegetation, not reaching the desirable level of coverage or not being compatible with future development.
The council states 76 Auklet Road was "considered an appropriate location for the telecommunications facility, as it is associated with existing utility infrastructure on the site and benefits from mature vegetation that offers visual screening to neighbouring residential properties".
