The Effect of Telecommunication Base Station on Residential Housing Preference in Enugu Metropolis

Abstract

Considerable growth in the use of mobile phones has led to increasing demand for land to site telecommunication base stations and associated infrastructure. There are concerns about this trend of things, such as the intrusive nature of the structures and the fear of lowered property value, as well as health concerns associated with living in proximity to such stations. This paper outlines the results of a study carried out to show the effect of telecommunication base station on residential housing preferences in Enugu metropolis. In all 35 estate surveyors, 65 tenants and 30 landlords were selected within Enugu urban for the study. A total of 98 structured questionnaires based on the Linkert-5-Point scale of responses were administered to the occupants of residential property sited close to telecommunication masts out of which 90 were retrieved for analysis. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 21) was used for this study to determine the causal effect of telecommunication base stations on residential housing preference in the study area. The findings revealed that the location of global system for mobile communications (GSM) masts has impact on houses in close proximity to it as prospective tenants are repelled by negative perceptions associated with living in proximity to such structures. This research also reveals that the phenomenon negatively impacts property value in affected areas.