by Trevor Bevins, Local Democracy Reporter.
A BT Hub proposed for Weymouth seafront has been turned down by councillors.
An area planning committee on Thursday unanimously voted against the proposal for the hub for the seafront, planned to replace a telephone box.
It was claimed the hub would have improved Wi-Fi in the immediate area, within 150metres of the structure, and offered free UK calls and 5G, but councillors were told there are other ways of boosting the signal in the area.
Several councillors said the dozen advertising boards, operated by Weymouth Town Council, approved last year, had already brought enough ‘visual clutter’ to the seafront, the BT Hub being similar in size and appearance.
As with the other units already in place the BT Hub would have shown advertising to help pay for its free connections, the static images changing every 10 seconds.
Upwey and Broadwey councillor David Northam told the committee that with wi-fi likely to be improved in other ways he was against the additional structure being introduced to the seafront, opposite 66-67 The Esplanade.
Wyke and Rodwell councillor Kate Wheller took a similar view. She said the telephone kiosk which was to be replaced by the hub was entirely different – could be seen through and was not so visually intrusive, being painted in ‘Weymouth Blue.’
“This is much more substantive in appearance than the existing advertising boards. I am happy with the officer’s recommendation and will support it,” she said, “It doesn’t preclude us from improving wi-fi in the area, in other ways.”
Preston and Littlemoor councillor Louie O’Leary said despite the concerns Weymouth needed to move with the times.
“The improvement of the wi-fi would help residents and visitors. The advertising boards Weymouth Town Council put up are not in keeping so I don’t see the issue,” he said.
Planning committee chair Cllr Neil Eysenck said the decision for him was finely balanced but, satisfied that wi-fi could be improved in other ways, he would vote against the hub.
The committee went on to approve a similar BT Hub in St Mary Street, close to the Black Dog pub.
Officers had recommending agreeing it, saying that although there would be ‘harm’ to the setting of the conservation area this “would be less than substantial, and would be outweighed by public benefits.”
Dorset Police, while not objecting to the two planning proposal, had raised concerns.
They said that where free Wi-Fi is available it can attract groups of people who then act anti-socially – with reports from colleagues in other areas that there have been incidents of misuse of the 999-call button on the hubs, mainly in city centre or high traffic locations in the night-time economy.
