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20
Jan
BT appeals Harrogate digital street hubs refusal
BT has appealed a decision to refuse plans for two new digital street hubs in Harrogate.
The telecommunications company proposed replacing unused telephone boxes on Cheltenham Parade and the footpath outside 53 High Street in Starbeck with digital street hubs.
Each hub would have a 75-inch, LCD advertising display screen, as well as free public Wi-Fi, free UK calls, USB charging and an emergency services button.
In its plans, BT said the hubs would help to “significantly enhance the provision of local community communications facilities and services”.
However, Martin Grainger, head of development management at the council, said both schemes would “introduce visual clutter” and “unrelated advertising” into a prominent location and refused the plans.
Now, BT has taken the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate, which deals with planning disputes.
A visual of the planned BT street hub on Cheltenham Parade in Harrogate.
The company said in a statement of case that the proposal to introduce the hubs with free Wi-Fi and other measures would “seek to encourage people back to our high streets in a sustainable way and support local people, businesses and visitors alike”.
It added that the council’s reasons for refusal were “not based upon any evidence”.
The company said:
It has been demonstrated within this appeal that the current context of the area is unlikely to be significantly impacted by the introduction of the proposed street hub, nor would public safety be detrimentally impacted upon.
The appellant considers that the council’s reasons for refusing this application is unreasonable and not based upon any evidence to support them in terms of degree of impact if any at all when weighed against the myriad of public benefits.
The move comes as councillors on Harrogate Town Council raised concern that the hubs could lead to anti-social behaviour.
At a meeting in October last year, Cllr Graham Dixon, a Liberal Democrat who represents Harlow ward, said free WiFi and calls could lead to “anti-social activity”.
He added that North Yorkshire Police had pointed to instances in other areas where the hubs had been used to facilitate drug dealing.
A government planning inspector will make a decision on the appeal at a later date.
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