A contentious phone tower proposal for Blackstone Heights has been approved behind closed doors.
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The Meander Valley Council received new information about the tower, which meant it was able to change its decision.
The council rejected the proposal in December after more than 300 representations were received objecting the tower.
However, the proponents - Telstra - have taken the council's decision to the Resource Management Planning and Appeal Tribunal. The appeal is still underway and the final decision will now lie with the tribunal.
Mayor Wayne Johnston said there was lengthy debate about the tower, with it being the toughest decision some of the councillors have had to make since they got elected.
"We did have some discussion about whether it should be closed or open session, but under the local government regulations we had some advice that it was for the council only," he said.
"At the end of the day, when we knocked it out at our first meeting in December it was only on one condition to do with the public good and Telstra have now come back to us with the information and it was the information that we requested from Telstra prior to them submitting it to council in December."
Representors will still be able to try and overturn the council's decision at the tribunal hearing.
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