Proposed telecommunications tower Prospect Reservoir

Endeavour Energy proposes to install a telecommunications tower at William Lawson Drive, Prospect. The proposal involves installation of:

  • a 60m free-standing lattice tower with self-supporting concrete footings
  • an external ladder, approximately 57m in height
  • an equipment shelter (6m x 3m) on concrete footing foundations
  • a 600mm cable tray support system from the tower to the equipment hut and support posts
  • a compound area 15m x 15m around the tower and associated infrastructure, including a 2.8m high security fence with 4.8m wide double access gate
  • a new electricity pole with substation and overhead lines
  • power supply works and underground cabling
  • upgrading of an existing access track and
  • vegetation management as per the Vegetation Management Plan

The proposal would also involve minor vegetation trimming and clearing for access and creation of an asset protection zone. No trees are required to be removed as part of this proposal.

The need

The tower will provide radio communications connectivity that is vital to supporting the operation of a safe and reliable and modern electricity distribution network, including communications between network depots, and SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) communications sites. These communications facilities are vital to the safe and reliable supply of electricity to hundreds of thousands of existing customers and to meet increasing electricity demand resulting from the unprecedented growth in the Western Sydney Growth Area.

This tower is required to relocate our communications facilities from an existing tower at Huntingwood, which Endeavour Energy will no longer be able to access when we relocate our head office from Huntingwood to Parramatta in 2023. The proposal is crucial to maintaining the existing network and to catering to future network needs, as hundreds of thousands of new residential and commercial customers and key critical metropolitan infrastructure including the Sydney Metro and Western Sydney International Airport connect to the grid.

Location

As shown in the map below, the site is located at William Lawson Drive, Prospect in close proximity to an existing water tanks and within Lot 304 Deposited Plan (DP) 1122291 which sits within the Blacktown City Council LGA. It is located approximately 1km away from the closest residential neighbourhood, and is adjacent a large industrial estate.

Prposed Tower Location

Further details of the location are provided in the Review of Environmental Factors (REF) below.

Review of Environmental Factors
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendices C - K

Review of Environmental Factors

As the Authorised Network Operator and proponent for this proposal, Endeavour Energy has undertaken an assessment of the project in consideration of all environmental, technical, financial and community impacts. Under the NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act), Endeavour Energy is the determining authority of the proposal.

In accordance with Part 5 of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act , Endeavour Energy has prepared the Review of Environmental Factors (REF) which outlines:

  • the proposal description and justification (including benefits and objectives)
  • an overview of the relevant legislative framework
  • consultation completed during the assessment phase
  • consideration of alternatives and
  • the environmental impact assessment and mitigation measures to be applied during construction and operation of the proposal.

Community correspondence

Stakeholders and landowners located nearby to the proposal will be notified of construction works. In the event any electricity supply outages are required to facilitate the safe construction of the proposal, any impacted landowners will be notified in advance. Any required planned electricity outages will be kept to a minimum and be as short as possible to safely facilitate the development.

Project contact details

For further information or to make a query in relation to this project please email contact:

Roweena D’Souza, Environmental Specialist
E: roweena.dsouza@endeavourenergy.com.au