December 2, 2022 7.00 pm This story is over 23 months old

No signal: Plan to replace Lincoln phone boxes with 5G booster crashes

The future of similar applications is in doubt
The BT Street Hub would have replaced phone boxes on Lincoln High Street | Photo: BT

Plans for the first in a series of BT hubs and digital displays supposed to boost central Lincoln’s broadband and 5G have been rejected.

BT was hoping to roll replace its own exchange boxes with new hubs offering ultrafast Wi-Fi, increased 5G signal, charging points and touchscreens across the city.

However, the first application near the High Street branch of Barclays has been rejected.

The smart hubs would add to street clutter and harm the city’s conservation area, the council has said.

Other applications along the High Street, Saltergate and outside the Central Railway Station are still under consideration.

Planning officers at the City of Lincoln Council said the box would be a blot on the high street, casting doubt on their future.

Existing phones boxes would be removed for the Street Hub installation | Photo: LDRS/The Lincolnite

“The proposed street hub will be harmful to the character and appearance of the Cathedral and City Centre Conservation Area, and will detract from the setting of adjacent listed buildings, by reason of the location, size, design and illumination of the structure,” the report says.

It describes the box as “an unduly prominent and discordant feature within the street scene.

“The hub will also add to existing street clutter, again to the detriment of the visual amenity of the area.”

An existing phone box would have been removed to make way for the hub.

BT’s planning application described them as “the next evolution of public connectivity”.

Each hub would have two 75” LCD screens to display adverts, with the local council being given 5% of the time.

The hub planned for Saltergate. | Image: BT

Screens would also include digital information such as the BT phonebook, weather and maps.

They would provide free phone calls and have a dedicated 999 button.

BT says: “Street hubs bring councils, communities and citizens wide-scale digital connectivity at no cost – entirely run and installed by BT.

“Modern cities require digital connectivity provision, both for residents and visitors, to enable their day to day living and enjoyment of recreational activities, all of which contributes to the vitality of the city and its economic and social sustainability.”

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