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Resource management Proposed National Environmental Standards for Telecommunications Facilities Online version
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Appendix 1: Proposed National Environmental Standards for Telecommunications Facilities
1 Exposure to radio-frequency fields from wireless telecommunications infrastructure
Permitted activity
An activity that emits radio-frequency fields is a permitted activity provided the following conditions are met.
- Exposures comply with NZS2772.1: 1999 Radio-frequency Fields Part 1: Maximum Exposure Levels 3 kHz – 300 GHz (“the New Zealand Standard”).
- Prior to commencing any radio-frequency emissions, the following are sent to and reviewed by the [XXX Department of the] Council:
- written notice of the location of the facility or proposed facility; and
- a report prepared by a radio engineer/technician or physical scientist containing a prediction of whether the New Zealand Standard will be complied with.
- If the report provided to the Council under condition 2(b) predicts that exposures will exceed 25 percent of the exposure limit set for the general public in the New Zealand Standard, then, within three months of radio-frequency emissions commencing, a report from the National Radiation Laboratory [or XXX being an appropriately qualified person/organisation specifically identified in this rule] certifying compliance with the New Zealand Standard, based on measurements at the site will be provided to the [XXX Department of the] Council”.
2 Telecommunications equipment cabinets within road reserves
Permitted activities
Telecommunications cabinets in road reserves shall be permitted activities subject to the following restrictions.
Limitations on cabinet size and location (above ground level) |
Adjacent area type |
|---|---|
Maximum height: 1.8 m |
Residential, open space/ reserve |
Maximum volume: 2.5 m3 |
|
Road lay position restriction: nil |
|
Maximum number of cabinets per separate property frontage exceeding 900 mm in height: 1 |
|
Maximum height: 2 m |
Rural, business, mixed-use |
Maximum volume: 3.5 m3 |
|
Road lay position restriction: nil |
Provided that any rule in a district plan shall take precedence over this standard in the following circumstances:
-
where the cabinet is located in a road reserve directly adjoining a site containing a building listed as having heritage value (this provision shall apply where a site containing the heritage building is located on the same side of the road reserve centre line as the cabinet)
-
where a cabinet is located in a road reserve contained within or directly adjacent to any heritage precinct or area of landscape importance identified in a district plan (where the road reserve itself is not contained within the identified precinct or area, this provision shall apply where a site identified as being within a heritage precinct or area of landscape importance is located on the same side of the road reserve centre line as the cabinet)
-
where any excavation work to install the cabinet is undertaken within the drip line or branch spread of any tree or vegetation, where a resource consent would otherwise be required by a district plan to undertake such excavation.
Cabinet – means an equipment casing, usually set on a concrete foundation plinth, that may contain telecommunications equipment, batteries, line terminals, and cooling systems such as heat exchangers and fans, and other such devices and equipment that are required to operate a telecommunications network (source: Telecommunications Industry Reference Group, 2006).
3 Noise from telecommunications equipment located within road reserves
Permitted activities
Noise from telecommunications cabinets located in road reserves shall be a permitted activity provided that the following noise limits are not exceeded.
Assessment point
For the purposes of this standard, the measurement point shall be located 3 m inside the boundary of the site under consideration (ie, the site adjacent to the road reserve in which the cabinet is located).
Residential, mixed-use, rural and open space/reserve areas
All days |
Noise limit |
|---|---|
Daytime (07.00–22.00) |
50dBA LAeq (5 min) |
Night-time (22.00–07.00) |
40dBA LAeq (5 min) 65dBA Lmax |
Business and industrial areas (and any other non-residential zones)
All days |
Noise limit |
|---|---|
Daytime (07.00–22.00) |
60dBA LAeq (5 min) |
Night-time (22.00–07.00) |
60dBA LAeq (5 min) |
Noise shall be measured in accordance with NZS 6801:1999 Acoustics – Measurement of Environmental Sound, and the basis for assessment shall be NZS 6802:1991 – Assessment of Environmental Sound. This includes provision for averaging during daytime such that a maximum daytime noise level of 55dBA LAeq (5 min) in residential, mixed-use and rural zones at the measurement point is allowed, provided that the average noise level over the full day (07.00 to 22.00) does not exceed 50dBA LAeq. No averaging is allowed at night-time.
Definition of terms
Leq is the energy equivalent noise level. It is a time-averaged sound level, a single-number value that expresses the time-varying sound level for the specified period as though it were a constant sound level with the same total sound energy as the time-varying level. It is expressed over a set period of time (eg, 5 minutes, 8 hours, 24 hours etc), known as the ‘time base’ (source: Quality Planning website www.qualityplanning.org.nz).
Lmax is the maximum noise level measured with a sound-level meter having a ‘fast’ response, or an equivalent method. Lmax noise limits are normally only set where sleep protection is an issue and therefore usually only apply during night-time (source: Standards New Zealand).
4 Masts and antennas for wireless telecommunications networks within road reserves
Permitted activities
Antennas and their associated support structures in road reserves shall be permitted activities subject to the following restrictions.
Road reserve support structures and antennas |
Adjacent area type |
|---|---|
The replacement of, or addition to, any existing utility structure in the road reserve, for telecommunications purposes, whereby the new or altered structure does not exceed the maximum diameter of the structure it replaces or modifies by more than 50%, and in the case of antennas or any associated covering shroud, the antennas and/or shroud do not extend more than 3 m above the highest point of the existing structure. |
Residential, business, mixed-use, rural, open space/reserve |
Panel antennas to maximum dimensions of 2.3 m (l) x 450 mm (w) x 200 mm (d). |
Residential, business mixed-use, rural open space/reserve |
Provided that any rule in a district plan shall take precedence over this standard in the following circumstances:
-
where the support structure or antenna(s) is/are located in a road reserve directly adjoining a site containing a building listed as having heritage value (this provision shall apply where a site containing the heritage building is located on the same side of the road reserve centre line as the support structure or antenna(s))
-
where the support structure or antenna(s) is/are located in a road reserve contained within or directly adjacent to any heritage precinct or area of landscape importance identified in a district plan (where the road reserve itself is not contained within the identified precinct or area, this provision shall apply where a site identified as being within a heritage precinct or area of landscape importance is located on the same side of the road reserve centre line as the support structure or antenna(s)).
Antenna means any device that receives or transmits radio-communication or telecommunications signals (source: Telecommunications Industry Reference Group, 2006).
Mast means any pole, tower or similar structure designed to support antennas to facilitate telecommunications, radio communications and broadcasting (source: Telecommunications Industry Reference Group 2006).
