Contractors say they will shelve work on installing a 2degrees cellphone tower in Brighton until given further instructions by the telecommunications company.
Protesting Brighton residents yesterday chained themselves to a fence and a power pole at the tower site, preventing KB Contractors staff from starting work on the 12m tower's installation.
KB Contractors director Kelvin Read, of Mosgiel, last night said his employees would focus on other work until given a directive by 2degrees.
Mr Read pulled his workers from the Brighton site about 4pm yesterday.
''We are just ordinary contractors there to do a job and we can't wait around for all the politics to get sorted,'' he said.
''There was only one winner today and that was the ozone [layer], because there was no work and no diesel emissions - the ozone and maybe the pie shop,'' he said.2degrees external communications manager Charlene White said the tower would be built despite protests, but she would not say when work would start.
''It could be tomorrow, it could be the next day. We won't comment on timing.''
The company had consent to build, and the temporary fence erected around the site to ensure the safety of construction crew would remain in the meantime, she said.
Protester Jayin Hutchings, of Waldronville, woke at 5am yesterday and packed a chair, sleeping bag and thermos of hot drink before heading to the Scroggs Hill Rd site.
In darkness, he shielded himself from the wind chill in a pup tent and waited for the sound of heavy machinery.
''We'll be here for as long as it takes,'' Mr Hutchings said, as he sat inside the temporary fence.
''This is public land. We will use the fence to our advantage.''
Scroggs Hill Rd resident Brent Foster parked his car on the roadside to make access difficult for contractors, and fellow resident Donna Thompson said she she was ready for a long ''occupation''.
KB Contractors staff arrived at 11am with a truck and digger, followed by a 2degrees employee and two security guards.
''They've got a right to protest and we've got a right to work,'' a man in a hard hat and high-visibility vest said.
Scroggs Hill Rd resident Amy Abbott shouted: ''Has anyone here not got cellphone reception?'', then joined 20 people in a rendition of We Shall Not Be Moved.
Brighton Residents v 2degrees spokesman Daryl Hanna chained himself to a fence and a power pole.
Police had arrived and inspected the sturdiness of the fence.
Acting Senior Sergeant Nathan White said police maintained a ''low key'' presence at the site and no arrests were made.
