At 66 meters, the cell phone tower on the Peitinger Schnaidberg was once the tallest wooden structure in Germany.
But his days are numbered.
Peiting
- Because ants caused severe damage to the structure, it is to be replaced by a steel tower.
The building committee approved a corresponding building application in its most recent meeting.
During a routine check in the summer, the Vodafone technicians noticed the ants infestation on the radio tower.
The Douglas fir wood from which the tower was built in 2002 apparently appealed to the insects.
"The stability is no longer given," warned a spokeswoman for the mobile phone provider with a view of the eaten boom.
The tower then had to be stabilized with extensive securing work (we reported).
Even then it was clear that there was no getting around a replacement building.
At the latest meeting of the Peitinger building committee, when it came to the operator's building application, market builder Fabian Kreitl presented what this should look like.
Instead of wood, he now relies on the safe variant made of steel.
The new tower will also be 69 meters taller than its predecessor, explained Kreitl.
As a timber builder, it is depressing that steel is now being used instead of wood, commented Andreas Barnsteiner (BVP) on the project.
Of course, he could understand the supplier, the wooden version unfortunately did not last as long as expected.
In the summer, district manager Stefan Lubos, on behalf of the Bavarian State Forests, announced that Vodafone would not put any obstacles in the way of the planned replacement building: "We will not insist that it be made of wood again."
Thomas Elste (Greens) took the opportunity to inquire whether the new mast would also be used for a new purpose.
Mayor Peter Ostenrieder (CSU) replied that the technology will be transferred from the old to the new tower.
"When new frequencies are added, we will be informed." Since 2010, Vodafone has been making LTE (4G) mobile technology available to its customers on the Schnaidberg.
The radio tower was only recently made 5G-capable (we reported).
There were no further inquiries.
The committee unanimously approved the building application.