Farmer uses digger to block cellphone tower build on West Auckland driveway

A farmer is mounting a protest after a council granted consent to erect a cellphone mast across a driveway to his rural West Auckland property.

Fourth-generation farmer Greg Jonkers is shocked by the decision to put the giant mast in the middle of the only legal access he has to a block on his farm that his family has lived on for almost a century.

This week he filled in the hole contractors dug to reinstate access to the Jonkers Rd entrance he says is the only access his daughter, who suffers a chronic illness, has to the property.

Greg Jonkers says contractors dug foundations for a cell tower on his driveway. Photo / Michael Craig

The site is also home to Puketotara Pā, which has been a venue for global filmmakers, events and weddings, offering stunning views of Auckland's east and the west coasts.

"It is one of the craziest things I have seen in 50 years," he told the Herald.

If any event or filming was to take place nobody would be able to enter or leave because of the blocked driveway.

Jonkers said Auckland Council had told him that because his gateway hadn't been sprayed with Roundup his access was deemed to not be in use.

"Council's new streamlined consent system has them sit at their desk on a computer looking at an aerial photo.

"Council will not admit their mistake and will not back down.

"I have reinstated our driveway, and filled their illegal hole in. This is not acceptable."

Jonkers said the council gave resource consent for the same job in 2011 and it was overturned.

"The cellphone company have now applied again for the same thing and council have given consent again for the same area, forgetting the entire problem of five years ago," he claimed.

But the council disputes that any error has been made.

Resource consents northwest manager Ian Dobson said the application was assessed as a restricted discretionary activity, which the council had authority to grant or deny consent under the Auckland Unitary Plan.

Jonkers farm owner Greg Jonkers defends his property from what he calls "illegal" digging. Photo / Supplied

"As such, the council's assessment was limited to certain matters outlined within the relevant section of the plan. Filming activity on the adjoining site was not a matter the council could consider in its assessment.

"The application proposed to site the mast and equipment within the road reserve, not private land."

Dobson said the mast would not impede access to Jonkers' property, as "the site plan clearly indicates".

"The application was assessed under the council's streamline process and so no site visit was considered necessary."

Hole in middle of driveway

Jonkers said he was coming back after feeding his cows this month when he found the hole outside the gate.

"I got my own digger out to refill it, that was the only way to gain access again.

"A workman stood in front stopping me."

He said the cellphone mast would be a health and safety risk to anybody accessing the property.

"They have dug through my gravel at the centre of my driveway. It is absolutely ridiculous."

Greg Jonkers is protesting the erection of a cellphone mast in front of his Waitakere property entrance. Photo / Supplied

Jonkers said he had not been given a chance to talk to the council before the consent was granted. He claimed it was his private property and that he should have been consulted.

He received a letter from Rural Connectivity Group which did not show where the tower would be built.

"They could have listened to me, or had a meeting. Last time they did the same thing and then they realised the problem later on."

Getting another legal access to the farm would need separate consent from the council, Jonkers said.

Greg Jonkers' driveway before contractors dug foundation for cell tower. Photo / Michael Craig

"This driveway is my only legal access to this part of my property. It has been there since 1939.

"Maybe they will now know to pay a visit to the site before they give consent."

The Rural Connectivity Group is a company owned by Spark, Vodafone NZ and 2degrees, who each have a one-third share. It was formed to carry out work under the public-private Rural Broadband Initiative.