Atawhai

By EVAN HARDING - The Southland Times

Invercargill residents opposed to a cellphone tower being built in Windsor have called on like-minded residents to boycott Telecom and the video shop where it is being constructed.

Work on the Telecom tower in King St began yesterday morning, with contractors digging a big hole in the ground in the back section of the United Video Shop.

Telecom has decided to construct the tower despite 675 people signing a petition saying they didn't want it.

About a dozen Windsor residents yesterday met The Southland Times at the site, saying they believed it would be an eyesore in the middle of a residential area, house values would drop and it could affect people's health.

One of those residents, Joan Kennedy, yesterday urged upset residents to quit Telecom for another provider and to buy their videos elsewhere.

United Video Shop owner Roy Barnsdale declined to comment, but a Telecom spokesman said it had acted responsibly in the placement of the mobile phone site and gone "above and beyond the level of communication and consultation required by law, so we would be disappointed if we do lose some customers."

Invercargill MP Eric Roy yesterday said the safety issues associated with cellphone towers were the Government's responsibility.

He had looked into the issue after being approached by residents and told them it would only generate 1/50th of the maximum allowable radiation levels.

Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt did not return calls yesterday.

At an Invercargill City Council meeting in December, Mr Shadbolt agreed to make another submission to Telecom on the issue.

A Telecom spokesman yesterday confirmed Mr Shadbolt had rung its community relations boss Paul Leslie early this month to relay the residents' concerns.

Telecom responded saying the site was chosen after a rigorous selection process and was a permitted activity under the Invercargill City Council district plan.

Telecom had modified the design of the site to minimise visual impact and offered to have the site tested independently when it was up, Telecom told the may