Dorset Council Rejects Plans for Second BT Street Hub on Weymouth Seafront
A BT Street Hub has been refused planning consent over its potential impact on a historic conservation area
A BT STREET Hub on Weymouth seafront has been refused planning consent because of fears it would harm one of the town’s most sensitive historic areas.
It is the second BT Hub that Dorset Council has rejected in the area.
Dorset Council said the proposed hub on the pavement close to Alexandra Gardens and the Weymouth Beach Sand Sculpture attraction was proposed in place of an existing BT payphone which would be removed.
The proposed Street Hub would be almost three metres high and include built-in LED screens, with Wi-Fi coverage of around 150 metres and 5G coverage of up to 200 metres.
Planning officers said the public benefits of improved connectivity would not outweigh the harm caused to the character and appearance of the Weymouth Town Centre Conservation Area and the setting of nearby heritage assets. The site is within the conservation area and close to a number of listed buildings and structures, including listed Esplanade buildings.
A report said the hub would be a “harmful addition” to the historically sensitive Esplanade promenade because of its siting, scale, design, appearance and colour, with the LED screens described as visually intrusive.
The report also warns that it would add to the proliferation of street furniture and existing LED advertising screens already installed along the Esplanade.
Weymouth Town Council has also objected to the hub but said it did not want the town to lose out on Wi-Fi improvements.
There has been no objection to the removal of the telephone kiosk.