Tower application withdrawn
The Benoni Baptist Church, in Farrarmere, has withdrawn its application to house a telecommunication mast and base station on its premises.
‘‘In the spirit of good neighbourliness, we agreed to withdraw our consent for the usage of land for the tower,’’ said the Rev André Broodryk, from the church.
‘‘We have handed a letter to the MTN representative, informing them of our desire to withdraw permission.’’
This came after more than 250 residents in the area objected to the structure being erected earlier this month, citing the potential health risks posed to people living near it, the aesthetics of the area which will be affected and the potential decline in property values of houses near the structure.
Broodryk said the church was approached a year ago by an MTN representative about housing the base station.
Believing this would benefit local residents, discussions were undertaken and the church insisted neighbours be consulted first, after which a decision would be made about whether or not to go ahead with the plan.
He believes the consultation with neighbours was either overlooked or forgotten and that MTN are now looking for an alternative site.
