Plans for new BT Street Hub in Staffordshire town centre dismissed by planning inspector

Plans for a new BT Street Hub in Rugeley town centre have been dismissed by the planning inspector.

This comes as BT appealed a decision by Cannock Chase District Council to refuse permission for a new street hub on Upper Brook Street.

The new smart hub would provide ultrafast public Wi-Fi, free phone calls and be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy. It would have been funded by the use of advertising on two screens and 10 per cent of the advertising would have been given to the council for free.

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However, planning officers at the council raised concerns over the impact it would have on the conservation area. The application was refused as the proposal would fail to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the area.

Planning officers said: “Whilst the removal of the payphone box would represent a minor visual improvement, the replacement with a structure of this scale, height, and illuminated advertisement display would result in a visually prominent and incongruous addition within the streetscene.

“The existing payphone box contains one advertisement not of a digital format, and the proposed contains two large LCD screens. When considered alongside existing street furniture and nearby infrastructure, the proposal would contribute to a sense of visual clutter, thereby failing to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the Rugeley Town Centre Conservation Area.”

In a planning statement BT said: “BT Street Hubs have the potential to significantly enhance the provision of local  community communications facilities and services. It is precisely the type of high speed digital infrastructure that the government is seeking to support as part of the  presumption in favour of sustainable development. 

“It will deliver social, economic, and  environmental benefits by providing a suite of essential urban tools/services, including free ultrafast Wi-Fi to residents, businesses and visitors in this area. Overall BT Street Hubs will help future proof the high street making them smarter, safer, and more sustainable through their adaptable design and function. 

“The proposed BT Street Hub structures are of a high quality, accessible design that would be a significant improvement when compared to the existing payphone kiosks. Modern signage which is interactive and multi-faceted in its use has become more acceptable on the street scape due to its functionality, clean and modern look.”

Making their decision in March this year, Planning Inspector C Butcher said that any benefits from the scheme were limited and would not outweigh the harm to the street scene and conservation area.

The inspector said: “As a result of the size of the hub itself, and the corresponding size of the advertisements which would be displayed, it is inevitable that the proposal would be perceived as an incongruous and overly dominant structure within the street scene which would add to the perception of clutter, while further eroding the feeling of space within the square.

“The proposed development would provide some public benefits, including free ultrafast Wi-Fi, free phone calls, wayfinding, device charging, rapid connection to emergency services and public messaging capabilities. However, the limited scale of the proposal, and the fact that the public can already achieve these things in other ways, means that the benefits are very limited. The screens could also be used to encourage the public to visit local businesses although the economic impact of such advertisements is likely to be very modest.”

You can find out more about planning applications and planned roadworks where you live by visiting publicnoticeportal.uk/express-and-star