In a landmark decision released today by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), Vodafone Hutchison Australia Pty Ltd has received approval for construction of a telecommunications facility in the leafy suburb of Warrandyte on Melbourne’s outer eastern fringe.

VHA secured approval at the Warrandyte Recreation Reserve after a two year Council development approval process which included: over 1200 objections, the intervention of local MPs, public meetings, and a sustained campaign both for and against the proposal utilising social media including Facebook.

And critical to VHA’s success was the Tribunal’s identification of the contribution that mobile telecommunications makes to sustainability objectives.

In its written findings the Tribunal said:

“Overall, we think this monopole proposal enjoys strong policy support and responds positively to the state and local policy framework by limiting offsite impacts. We consider that the establishment of the proposed facility is a good example of using technology in a way that balances other policy objectives related to sustainability and economic development including the encouragement of home based businesses. "

Warrandyte falls within the Manningham Council area and more than one third of the municipality’s 16,000 businesses are said to be home based. The municipality is also characterized by a lack of rail public transport because it falls between rail lines in the Melbourne metropolitan network.

In its findings in support of the VHA telecommunications facility, the Tribunal made the critical link between the need for effective mobile telecommunications to support the large number of home-based businesses in Manningham. In turn this delivers lifestyle benefits and a reduction in the need for travel to work, given the absence of rail travel options within the municipality.

“Vodafone’s new Warrandyte facility responds positively to sustainability objectives and it is pleasing that VCAT has made this link,” said MCF Program Manager Matt Evans. “The industry will continue to emphasise this to Councils and policy makers in Federal and State Governments”.

In its series of short articles titled “Networked Australia”, the Mobile Carriers Forum will next week explore the benefits of mobile networks to sustainability and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Visit “Networked Australia” on the MCF website at