A decision on the ugliness of cell phone towers and their adverse effect on nearby property values are not expected for at least two weeks.

The site at Maungatapu.

The Tauranga City Council and neighbours are opposing an application by Two Degrees Mobile Ltd to build a cell phone tower on land at Maungatapu beside an existing Vodafone cell phone tower.

The opposition is based almost entirely on the visual impact the second tower will have and its perceived 'adverse character and visual amenity effects”.

The proposed site is on residential zoned land at 1 Taipari Street, a narrow tongue of land between State Highway 29 and Taipari Street on the corner by the Maungatapu overbridge. High voltage power lines pass over the site.

Cell towers in residential zones are a discretionary activity.

The Two Degrees Mobile application is also deemed to fall foul of the objectives and policies of the operative Tauranga District Plan and the proposed Tauranga City Plan.

The hearing was held before commissioner Dorothy Wakeling on Friday.

Environmental planner Shannan Miles says the hearing was adjourned for a week to allow Two Degrees Mobile a written right of reply to matters raised at the hearing by submitters – and to permit the commissioner to make a site visit on Friday.

Her decision is not expected to be announced until two weeks after she has received Two Degrees' written reply.