Westside BID has succeeded in its opposition to having a space-age phone box placed on Broad Street, with city planners accepting that it might have encouraged crime and anti-social behaviour.
The swish, double-sided communications hub would have hosted digital screens, plus free phone call and charging facilities on the pavement at the junction of Oozells Street and Broad Street.
But Mike Olley, general manager at Westside BID, submitted an objection to the new unit which has resulted in the rejection of BT’s planning application.
Ian MacLeod, director of planning, transport and sustainability at Birmingham City Council, has confirmed that plans for what was called a “BT street hub incorporating 75-inch advert screens” had been “refused”.
Mr Olley said: “We opposed plans for this space-age phone box because they are a menace in so many different ways.
“In our experience, these sort of phone boxes only encourage anti-social behaviour, such as unsavoury characters using them as toilets.
“We have also had reports of drug users using the phone on these units to order drugs using the free call facility.
“Also, the very intention of these devices is to encourage people with high-value mobile phones to use them, and this could result in the boxes becoming a magnet for street robberies.
“Other problems we would have faced include hoax calls from the large and prominent 999 button on the device, placing an extra burden on the police and emergency services.
“Such units are also open to criminal damage and graffiti, fly posting, spray paint graffiti and glass etching, and could have become a ‘honey pot’ where people gather, linger, and cause anti-social or even criminal behaviour.
“The metal construction of the units could be targeted by thieves and bring crime into the area, plus they would have created pedestrian ‘pinch points’, causing all sorts of problems on busy nights.”
Mr Olley added: “For all these and many other reasons, we are delighted that city planners have said ‘no’ to the space-age boxes and hope that anyone reviewing a potential appeal understands we don’t want these crime-ridden beacons in our business district.”
