Last week the Gazette revealed a Vodafone and Optus proposal which sought to use private land occupied by the Ugg Boot store in Faulconbridge for the three new antennas.

The school’s P & C has since indicated it will oppose the installation at this site, holding a meeting last Thursday night to discuss the harmful effects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitted from mobile phone towers.

P & C President Rhyan Andrews said the group is committed to appealing to Vodafone and Optus to consider a different site for the antennas.

“We’re not against the progress of technology but in the Mountains, with our narrow band of villages along the train line and highway, do we really need to place a possible hazard near homes and schools?” Mrs Andrews said.

If the proposal goes ahead the antennas will be placed on top of an existing power pole, which classifies the installation as ‘low impact’ and therefore unable to be blocked by council.

Director of EMR Australia, Lyn McLean, who provides information and resources on EMR, said the term ‘low impact’ was misleading as it did not consider the amount of EMR emitted by a tower.

Ms Mclean said the EMR standards set by the Department of Health did not adequately protect the public against the dangers of the allowable levels.

“A little bit of radiation is all that it takes . . . around the world there’s evidence of people getting sick, and not just getting sick, getting cancer,” she said.

A spokesperson for Vodafone said due to an error in the original letter distributed to those affected by the antenna, they would be conducting a new consultation period to hopefully begin this week.

This process will include a public meeting to be conducted in coming weeks attended by a representative from Vodafone.

She said they are willing to work with the community to reach a mutually acceptable conclusion.

The P & C plans to place an ad in the Gazette’s public notices when the date for the meeting has been set.