Wokingham borough council officers have refused plans for an application for a “BT Street Hub” in Wokingham town centre.
The application site is sited on Council highway land. It is located on the southern side of Peach Street. In the vicinity there are commercial/ retail units at street level. The proposed ‘hub’ would have measure approximately 1.24 m wide by 0.35 m deep and 2.98 m high, and would replace an existing telephone kiosk, measuring approximately 0.9 m wide by 0.75 m deep and 2. 5m high.
The ‘hub’ would have been approximately 0.5 m back from the highway edge, no closer than the existing kiosk.
On one side of the structure, the hub will incorporate a telephone (which will enable free calls mobiles, landlines, emergency services and various charities; the only paid service was for international calls which would have been made by card payments,
It would have also included wayfinding information, USB charging points and Wi-Fi.
On the reverse would have been a digital advertising screen. The screen would have been able to be used to display Council public information, public health information and emergency incident messaging. However, primarily it would have been used for private advertising.
“It would also fail to conserve or enhance the Wokingham town centre conservation area, and the setting of several Grade-II listed buildings.
Wokingham town council had opposed the application, saying: “This development is in the town centre conservation/heritage area, and is not in keeping.
“It will set an unwelcome precedent for similar developments in the town centre conservation area.
“Similar applications were rejected in the last two years, and this does not appear to differ substantially from those ones. “
Officers refused the application on December 1.
In the decision notice, they wrote: “Owing to its location, sitting and scale, the proposed development would result in an incongruent, oppressive and visually imposing addition to the street scene.
