The telecommunications company told the Otago Daily Times yesterday it was notifying Scroggs Hill Rd residents about the decision to proceed with the 12m tower.
''Over the last month, 2degrees has spent a considerable amount of time assessing whether there were any alternative sites in the area,'' the company said in its statement.
''Unfortunately, no other viable option was found.''
The Scroggs Hill Rd site, which was on a spur, was the best possible location to provide coverage to Brighton and Ocean View, the company said.
Work would begin in two weeks and take up to six weeks to complete.
The company last month said it would look for alternative sites, after community concern about possible health concerns.
Yesterday, the company said using either the existing Telecom tower or a proposed Vodafone tower further up Scroggs Hill Rd, ''would not achieve adequate coverage for 2degrees''.
That decision angered the residents' group opposed to the tower.
Brighton Residents v 2degrees spokesman Daryl Hanna said ''we understood fully that this was completely out of our control and that we had done what we could ... this is just gutting, just gutting''.
Mr Hanna said residents rejected the tower on three grounds: the aesthetic of the tower, potential health risks, and that the site would ''rule out road improvements on that corner''.
He rejected the company's assertion the equipment was safe and complied with World Health Organisation standards, as it was citing information that had since been updated.
''We won't sit back and let this happen. Within the law, we will do everything we can to fight it.''
Dunedin City councillor Colin Weatherall, of Brighton, said he was ''surprised'' the company was going ahead without further consultation.
He had offered two possible alternative sites on behalf of the community to the company, but had not had any contact from 2degrees.
While the compliance of the tower was legal, the community had health and safety concerns and was likely to meet again to discuss the decision.
