Vodafone New Zealand Limited has recently proposed the construction of a 5G Telecommunications Facility at McGazzaland BMX Track. 

The placement of the proposed Telecommunications Facility is at a community based family track and park which has been growing in popularity with children, families and young adults throughout the community, surrounding areas and further, bringing popularity and business to our growing community of Wakefield NZ. 

Given that this is a family destination point and part of the Tasman Tourism trail of the Great Tasman Taste Trail, this Telecommunications Facility location needs to be moved to another location as to not impose Health and Safety Risks.

The main concerns for the proposed location of this Telecommunications Facility are as follows:

1. This is a family area, one which should a natural disaster occur or a car accident on Pigeon Valley Road that would cause the tower to collapse, this could harm children, families or young adults and take away a foundational community venue.
2. The trucks that pull into the area most nights to utilize it as a rest stop, are large Class 5 trucks and trailers and very often have come close to taking out fence posts as it is, the proposed location could have a catastrophic effect should a truck accidentally take this Telecommunications Facility out.
3. This is a 'hang-out' spot for teenagers and young adults in the evenings/nights over weekend, should the youth not understand the dangers surrounding the Telecommunications Facility and make some less than sensible decisions to attempt to climb (this has been shown in the past with large orange road cones being atop rooftops, tall poles and/or streetlamps) or throw objects at the tower (as shown in the past by youth trying to take out streetlights with rocks etc), this could put these youth in serious harm. 
4. The sound that is emitted from such facilities, although it is of a low frequency, can become an issue for surrounding residents in a 24/7 consistency of the noise. This could also potentially put people off coming to the Wakefield pump track and BMX park especially those who suffer from migraines or neurological issues. 

There are plenty of spaces that a 5G Telecommunications Facility could be negotiated to be constructed in the Wakefield Area, however, the proposed location has not been well considered nor is it practical for this type of facility. This is an accident waiting to happen. 

Personal Story: I am a resident of Wakefield who lives in close proximity to the proposed site.

We received notice of this proposal in a plain envelope with no notice that something would be constructed in close proximity on the envelope or stating that it is a matter of urgency to read this letter, which was rather appalling given that residents in the surrounding area could very well have seen this letter as a matter of usual advertising. There should have been more attention brought to this rather than the letter seemingly looking to be that of Vodafones average advertisement letters, that we receive rather frequently. There was at no time any surveys or discussion with the surrounding residents regarding this matter.

Personally, given that our property is 12 metres away from the proposed site, I am not very happy with this being constructed here. I have a rare Neurological Disorder which has rendered me unemployable and at times immobile. Given the facts regarding the sound that emits from the Telecommunications Facilities in the past and now that they have more reach with the 5G over the 3G and 4G, I personally have a very sensitive neurological issue whereby this sound emitted could most likely create havoc for myself, rendering me bedridden with either non-epileptic seizures or in a paralytic state. I can only be in close proximity to these towers for minimal amounts of time before having my neurological triggers set off and I am left in times of non-epileptic seizures and/or paralysis with brain fog or dystonia, this matter has been trialled previously with my health. 
Should the construction of this tower go ahead, due to the harm this can cause my health because of my Neurological Disorder, I would have to be forced to sell my property and upheave my family from a supportive community, school and family to try and then regain proper health once more - it has taken me a year now to get slightly more functional, however, I still am using mobility aids.

I understand that there is a need for furthering communication throughout New Zealand and in our area of Wakefield, however, I do not agree with the proposed location and I feel it would be more suitable in an alternative site.