'Excessive' BT ad screens outside stadium rejected

Plans to turn a phone box outside Molineux Stadium into a digital advertising screen and free wi-fi access point have been turned down for being "excessive".

BT wanted to convert the kiosk at the end of Staveley Road, Wolverhampton, into a Street Hub featuring two 75-inch screens with an interactive tablet and internet access.

The plan would also see the removal of two other nearby kiosks, which the company said would improve access along pavements.

City of Wolverhampton Council rejected the scheme, saying the hub would "appear visually prominent and incongruous", and "fail to integrate satisfactorily with its surroundings".

In its application, BT pointed out that two similar schemes rejected by the council had later been approved on appeal, with planning inspectors saying the benefits outweighed any drawbacks.

It also referenced government plans to improve digital access, and said the council would benefit from free advertising time on the screens for public information messages.

In its decision notice, the local authority said it would add "unnecessary visual clutter to an area where signage exhibits a disciplined and proportionate approach", and would fail to preserve the area's character.

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