What happens to Property Values with Massive Cellphone Towers placed on front berms ?

The Taranaki Property Investors group held a meeting in late July and politicians were invited to speak. Each gave a 10 minute presentation of what their party would do for property investors.

The first question, at question time, was from one of the people affected with one of these massive new cellphone towers which is to be placed on the berm outside their property. The property owner did acknowledge that David McLeod had been at their meeting with the Tower Company, Connexa, and David had asked what questions he could of the company.

The question asked of each politician was:

“What their party would do about this problem occurring all over the country, where massive cellphone towers are being placed on berms right outside people’s homes, and the law does not allow anyone to do anything about the placement of these towers.”

All of the politicians basically replied that central government should put in place a requirement to consult with the residents of every area selected for having a Cell phone Tower, to find a suitable place, preferably where someone actually wanted it, before anything was actually started, and definitely not on anyone's front berm. 

David Seymour commented that it was a huge problem in Remuera/Epsom, and he had a lot of constituents coming to see him about the Towers.

The politicians acknowledged that getting a consultation with local residents, prior to positioning of a Tower, put into law, would not help the 2 families affected right now in New Plymouth, but it may help other people in the future.

In discussion with David Macleod after the meeting, the people affected here in Spotswood seemed to feel Daivd was keen to actually do something in central government about CellPhone Towers, doing consultation and consent, before building takes place.

Time will tell if that eventuates.

For both properties, the loss of value, and loss of potential buyers who want to purchase was mentioned, and it is very significant.

If a tower was to be placed outside anyone’s property in New Plymouth they should expect at least a $50k reduction in value, and half the pool of interested buyers, when wanting to sell.

One of these affected properties was on the market when they discovered a cellphone tower was to be built out the front on the berm. An offer had been made before anyone knew about the tower. Initially it was indicated the offer would reduce by somewhere in the region of $70-$110k, and then the buyer pulled out completely.

Any ratepayer, anywhere in the country could be affected by this situation, and with more of an impact if living in an urban area. These international corporations are literally doing business on our front door steps, a front door step that the councils expect ratepayers to maintain and mow, even after property values have plummeted with a tower outside the front door.

P.S There has been agreement with the Spotswood Cellphone Tower that this will be moved from directly outside the front door to around the side of the property. It is still a major structure, and not welcome on a berm outside any house, but it has been an extremely tiny improvement for this one household.