Vodafone New Zealand wants permission from the Dunedin City Council to build a 30m communications tower - more than twice the height allowed under district plan rules - on land near the Saddle Hill conservation area.
And, despite acknowledging the structure would breach height rules, a council planner has recommended the project be approved.
The proposal is to be considered by a council hearings committee next week and, if approved, would see the tower built on rural land near Brighton Scroggs Hill Rd, on a hill overlooking Brighton and 1.5km from Brighton Beach.
The tower would be built near two neighbouring properties, located 85m and 160m away, and near an existing Telecom facility, but would be visible from Brighton.
It would also be 2km south of the Saddle Hill Landscape Conservation area, and 1km north of the South Coast Coastal Landscape Preservation area.
In its application, Vodafone said the tower would improve its mobile coverage in the area and meet growing customer demand.
The site had been carefully selected, and the tower's 30m height was needed to ensure the signal was not blocked by nearby trees, buildings and topography, it said.
The company had also ruled out adding the tower to the existing Telecom tower facility, arguing that would require a wider tower. creating even more of a visual impact.
The application for the tower, in a rural residential zone, was notified on a limited basis and drew opposition from two neighbours with homes 85m and 160m away, who cited concerns including the potential for visual and health impacts.
In his report, council planner Jeremy Grey recommended approval for the project be granted, as the tower was part of infrastructure needed for communications, provision for which existed in the council's district plan rules, and would not cause significant adverse effects.
The council had the discretion to grant approval even if the tower's height breached district-plan rules limiting telecommunications masts in a rural residential zone to 12m, his report said.
"The proposed facility will be a total of 18 metres higher than what is permitted as-of-right by the district plan."
The application will be considered by a council hearings committee on May 28.
