People power win over police tower

TOWERING VICTORY: Leaping for joy at the decision are Peter Wise, president of the Nimbin Chamber of Commerce, and chamber secretary Eugenie Stephans.

IN A dramatic turnaround late yesterday afternoon, the NSW Police Force said it would relocate the controversial 30-metre high tower from the heart of Nimbin.

The sudden backflip follows an unprecedented vote by Lismore City Council to call on NSW Police Minister Tony Kelly to relocate the tower.

In the motion adopted by council, councillors said they were 'extremely dissatisfied with the lack of proper process leading to the recent construction of a police communication tower'.

Yesterday afternoon, Richmond Local Area Command Superintendent Bruce Lyons said the tower would be moved.

“The NSW Police Force is working with Lismore City Council to establish a radio site that satisfies council and community concerns,” he said.

The steel-frame tower was erected in the backyard of the Nimbin police station on July 28, without residents being notified, including people living next door to the police station.

Nimbin Chamber of Commerce secretary Eugenie Stephans, who spoke at Tuesday's council meeting, yesterday welcomed the police turnaround.

“We are ecstatic,” she said. “This is a victory for the local community because it's a heritage-listed village. That's why the council has supported us in this.

“It's not that we don't support the police, but we want the tower relocated because we rely on tourism here.”

Lismore mayor Jenny Dowell said the planning process for the tower was flawed and lacked transparency. She said that while the council had no role in the approval process, the police were obliged to inform the council and local residents of the construction.

Supt Lyons yesterday blamed the contractor, who failed to follow the required process. He said a tower was needed to remove black spots from police radio coverage.