The Dunedin City Council has decided to widen consultation with residents over plans by Vodafone New Zealand to build a 30m communications tower near Brighton.
The move was recommended in a new report by consultant landscape architect Mike Moore, although he stopped short of recommending full public notification.
Vodafone has applied for resource consent to build the tower on council land overlooking Brighton, about 1.5km from Brighton beach and 2km from the Saddle Hill conservation area.
The company's plans were dealt a blow last month when the council's hearings committee decided to set aside the hearing after concerns were raised about the adequacy of public consultation.
The committee asked Mr Moore to carry out a new landscape assessment to re-examine the impact of the proposed tower on surrounding properties.
A copy of Mr Moore's report, dated June 17, was released to the Otago Daily Times yesterday.
In it, Mr Moore said the tower would become a "focal point" in the rural setting, due to its height, although the visual impact would be offset by its colour scheme and, from some vantage points, nearby trees and a reservoir.
However, at 30m high - more than twice the height allowed under district plan rules - the tower would be "potentially visible over a wide area and will be significantly higher than other structures in its rural setting".
Before last month's hearing, council planning staff had recommended consent be granted with only limited notification for two homeowners living 85m and 160m away.
However, Mr Moore's report said five additional properties located within 500m of the site, on Brighton-Scroggs Hill Rd, should also be notified of Vodafone's plans and given the chance to make a submission.
Council planner John Sule has written to the homeowners, but a date for a hearing is not yet set.
