Telecoms giant BT is taking its fight to install modern digital hubs in Worcester to a planning appeal after the city council rejected the proposals for being 'too modern'.
The Clash Over Connectivity
BT wants to install three-metre tall digital screens, offering free wifi and USB charging, to replace old payphones it describes as outdated. The company lodged an appeal after Worcester City Council turned down the application last month, meaning the final decision will now be made by an independent planning inspector.
If approved, one hub would be positioned outside the county cricket ground in New Road and another in the historic Shambles. The existing phoneboxes in The Shambles, Broad Street, and Cornmarket would be removed as part of the plan.
A Divided City Response
The proposals have split local opinion. City councillor Adam Scott backed the hub planned for The Shambles, stating its "sleek looks and modern telecom facilities will be an asset" to the area.
However, not everyone shares this view. Councillor Jenny Barnes raised specific concerns about the New Road location, warning: "I worry about this on a dual footpath and cycleway, as well as the distraction to drivers at a point where lane switching is prevalent."
The Worcester Civic Society opposed both installations, arguing they would introduce "additional visual clutter" into important and prominent locations across the city.
BT's National Rollout Faces Local Hurdles
BT maintains it is "continuing to push public connectivity forward with the move to Street Hubs" and states that more than 950 have been rolled out nationwide. The company emphasises that the project would see the removal of existing, outdated payphones at no extra cost to the council, thereby helping to declutter streetscapes.
Despite these arguments, city planners rejected the proposals, stating the hubs would "constitute additional street clutter and cause visual harm to the surroundings", particularly noting that both proposed locations fall within conservation areas. They concluded that the hubs would not preserve or enhance the character of these protected zones.
Worcester is not alone in pushing back against BT's modernisation plans, with several other councils having rejected the hubs in recent months, setting the stage for a significant planning appeal decision.
