Planners reject BT plan for phone hub outside railway station

Plans to replace a phone box with a British Telecom (BT) communications hub with advertising have been refused on appeal.

BT wanted to put the hub on the pavement outside the Station pub, at 100 Goldstone Villas, which is within the Hove Station Conservation Area.

Brighton and Hove City Council planning officials refused the application for the hub and a related application for LED advertising in January, with concerns about the adverse effect on the conservation area.

The council had concerns about the size of the hub which, BT said, would give people access to fast public wifi and free phone calls, with LED advertising on both sides of the hub.

The council’s refusal statement said: “It would appear as an overlarge and dominant addition to the public highway.

“The visual impact of the LED screens would have an unsuitable cumulative impact when considered in close proximity with those at the adjacent bus stop.

“It is wider than the phone boxes it is proposed to replace and would add unnecessary clutter to the footway which sees high footfall and is adjacent to a flight of steps. (This) could prejudice wheelchair users and those with sight-related difficulties.”

BT is installing the hubs in place of phone boxes across the country. The company said in its appeal said that it had a universal service obligation (USO) with Ofcom to provide a universally available service which was previously provided through phone boxes.

BT said: “If existing kiosks no longer provide a beneficial service, they must be replaced with alternative infrastructure that meets current-day needs.

“In the same way that KX100 units (introduced in the mid-1980s) replaced red telephone boxes, the street hub enables BT to provide a service in an era of advanced communications.

“While it is acknowledged that the proposed street hub may have some minor impact, it is the appellant’s (BT) considered opinion that any such impact is outweighed by the significant benefits provided by the proposed unit.”

Planning inspector Claire Coles said that the site was next to the locally listed pub and grade II listed Hove railway station.

She said that there was a safety issue because the hub would restrict pedestrian flow and views close to the taxi rank and bus stops.

She said: “The proposed hub would result in clutter on the street scene and harm to the character and appearance of the conservation area.

“This harm lies at the lower end of the scale of less than substantial harm but any harm to heritage assets attracts significant importance and weight. The proposal would also result in harm to highway safety.”