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24
Mar
Inspector approves BT digital street hub in Harrogate
A government inspector has approved a new street hub in Harrogate town centre despite concerns over anti-social behaviour — but rejected one in Starbeck.
BT proposed replacing unused telephone boxes on Cheltenham Parade and the footpath outside 53 High Street in Starbeck with digital street hubs.
Each hub would have a 75-inch, LCD advertising display screen, as well as free public Wi-Fi, free UK calls, USB charging and an emergency services button.
In its plans, BT said the hubs would help to “significantly enhance the provision of local community communications facilities and services”.
However, Martin Grainger, head of development management at North Yorkshire Council, said both schemes would “introduce visual clutter” and “unrelated advertising” into a prominent location and refused the plans in December 2025.
Councillors on Harrogate Town Council also raised concern that the hubs could lead to anti-social behaviour and pointed to instances in other areas where the hubs had been used to facilitate drug dealing.
The current telephone box on Starbeck High Street (left) and the planned street hub (right).
Now, the government’s Planning Inspectorate, which deals with planning disputes, has approved the plan for a hub on Cheltenham Parade after BT appealed the council’s refusal.
Andreea Spataru, a planning inspector, said in a decision notice that while she recognised the concerns over “visual clutter and unrelated advertising” there was a “commercial nature” to the area.
She pointed to illuminated and non-illuminated signage already in the area, which are “already part of the established street scene”.
Ms Spataru added:
As such, the proposed displays would not appear incongruous, nor would they erode the character or appearance of the Harrogate Conservation Area or the setting of the Grand Opera House (Harrogate Theatre). Overall, the visual effect would be neutral.
Meanwhile, the inspector also dismissed concerns over the hubs leading to anti-social behaviour.
Ms Spataru said any association between the hubs and anti-social behaviour had “not been substantiated within the evidence before me”.
She added:
The appellant has provided a detailed anti-social behaviour management plan, which sets out a comprehensive framework for preventing, identifying and responding to any such issues.
Starbeck hub refused
Meanwhile, Ms Spataru rejected an appeal from BT for a hub on Starbeck High Street.
The inspector said the proposal would introduce a “tall, solid and visually assertive structure” near to the grade two listed St Andrew's Church.
Ms Spataru added:
The introduction of such a substantial and illuminated unit in the same High Street environment would disrupt the visual coherence and detract from the historic qualities that contribute to the setting in which the listed building is experienced.
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