After three years, Havelock North’s controversial 4G tower is up

Spark crews were seen putting up the controversial new cell tower on the corner of Durham Dr and Te Mata Rd in Havelock North on Tuesday afternoon. Photo / Warren Buckland

Spark’s controversial 4G cell tower is finally up in Havelock North, nearly three years after construction started.

The cell tower, located on the corner of Durham Dr and Te Mata Rd, was initially planned for 2019 but work was stalled following community backlash from about 120 residents.

Work on the site started on September 27, with the tower stood on Tuesday afternoon, its antennae installed in a tidy, slim cylinder, which sits atop an existing streetlight, part of a “very discreet design” commonly used around the country.

Spark said work at the site was “tracking well” with the new service expected to be available by the weekend after power and backhaul were installed, and testing completed.

Workers received both positive and negative feedback from passersby during the installation with no incidents reported to the Police by Spark or its contractor.

Stephen Fookes, representing residents against the tower, was disappointed, saying the “process had not been balanced” and ratepayers had been “disregarded”.

He said further action would be taken “principally through the legal regulatory process”.

Spark said the new site was permitted activity which would help relieve congestion off the existing towers serving the area.