Telecommunications - Cockburn East

On Tuesday 15 March 2022 Telstra provided the City with preliminary plans for a new tower in Cockburn Central (East) that they have told us will improve mobile phone coverage for residents and businesses in Treeby, Jandakot and Cockburn Central.

What happens next?

• The City will assess the preliminary plans, after which Telstra will apply for a Development approval and sign a lease with the City. 
• The City is confident that Telstra will deliver the new tower in 2023. A definitive date will be known once the development approval and lease are finalised. 
• The proposed location will have minimal visual impact as it will be placed in a commercial/industrial area.

 Areas of responsibility

• The responsibility for telecommunications lies exclusively with the Commonwealth Government. 
• The City has been advocating for several years with telecommunication providers and government agencies to improve mobile phone coverage in black spot areas throughout the City. 
• The City notes there are requests from community members asking for the City to facilitate a temporary mobile tower before the permanent one is erected. The City is not a telecommunications carrier under the Telecommunications Act 1997, nor does the City have the technical expertise or means to install, or project manage its own telecommunications infrastructure, temporary or otherwise.

Structure plan and development approvals in Treeby

• It has been suggested that the City should not approve any more structure or development plans in Treeby until there is better mobile phone coverage.
• While the City may take the position that an appropriate level of mobile phone coverage should be required prior to structure plans or further development being approved in Treeby, Government Regulations do not allow the City to withhold processing applications until better mobile phone coverage is provided. 

For further information contact Strategic Planning via [email protected] or 08 9411 3444.