Plans for controversial digital 'Street Hubs' revealed in Morecambe

Proposals for two new state-of-the-art replacements for street payphones in Morecambe have been submitted.

BT wants to install the new ultrafast public Wi-Fi units outside Morecambe Post Office on Victoria Street and outside Treasure Island amusement arcade on Marine Road Central.

The telecoms giant says the Street Hubs will "better serve today's digitally connected converged-media society" and wants to remove nearby payphone kiosks as part of the proposal.

BT has installed more than 950 Street Hubs across the UK - and says they provide free ultrafast Wi-Fi, public messaging and better mobile connectivity.

But critics say they are visually intrusive, block pavements and could distract drivers.

Lancaster City Council has previously turned down similar planning applications in Lancaster, including one last year outside Sainsbury's supermarket.

The council said, in making the decision in August 2025, that a new Street Hub in the Cable Street location would be "an obtrusive and incongruent form of street clutter within the area".

BT then appealed to the government planning inspector, who dismissed the appeal saying the street hubs would lead to "unacceptable harm to the character and appearance of the area".

The new planning applications are for installation of a street hub and two digital illuminated screens each side of the unit, on the pavement outside 259 Marine Road Central (Treasure Island) and 2-6 Victoria Street (Morecambe Post Office).

The proposed location for one of the new BT Street Hubs is outside Treasure Island in Morecambe

"BT are further updating and evolving the payphone estate to better serve today's digitally connected converged-media society through the new improved BT Street Hub," said a statement issued with the plans.

"These new units will be monitored 24/7, with weekly inspections and a minimum of bi weekly cleaning services to keep the unit to a high standard of finish within the existing streetscape.

"All units will be fitted with a direct 999 call button to aid in the efficiency of operations of the emergency services, with emergency (i.e. Police) awareness messaging shown via their advertising screens on either side of the unit.

"Furthermore, Street Hubs are powered by 100 per cent renewable carbon-free energy, making them sustainable and durable for years to come.

"There is significant UK Government support for the delivery of 5G, particularly as this new connectivity will be a step change from earlier generations of mobile connectivity and will be critical to economic growth and sustainable communities.

"In the coming years, 5G mobile connectivity will underpin the UK Digital Economy and bring significant social, economic and sustainability benefits of advanced modern connectivity. It is essential that the planning system looks to support and facilitate 5G infrastructure improvements, such as the small cell capability of Street Hubs, to meet the Government’s Digital Strategy. In addition, modern connectivity, such as 5G, will be essential to help the Government meet its wider sustainability and climate change targets.

"Street Hubs are free-standing structures featuring a fully accessible tablet interface and digital HD display screens on two sides.

"Overall, Street Hub dimensions are 35cm deep and 123.6cm wide and a height of 298.6cm to maximize the Wi-Fi range without dominating the street.

"A narrow base limits the footprint while ensuring access to wheelchair users.

"Street Hubs have been designed to be accessible to all users, regardless of their physical or technological capabilities.

"Street Hubs are free to use, fully accessible community assets connecting and improving local streets in urban areas.

"At no cost to taxpayers or end users, Street Hubs provide communities with an unprecedented suite of essential urban tools including ultrafast public and encrypted Wi-Fi, powered by 100 per cent renewable carbon-free energy, inspected weekly and cleaned at least every two weeks, monitored 24/7, free phone calls, display community and emergency (i.e. police) awareness messaging, ability to house IoT sensors such as air quality, traffic etc.

"The Street Hub unit will be funded through the display of advertising in conjunction with other council and community content, via sponsorship from companies who will utilize the digital HD display screens on both sides of the unit.

"The two screens automatically dim at night to 300cd/m2, following daylight hours and in accordance with the levels set for this type and size of screen (those under 10m) by the Institute of Lighting Professionals, Professional Lighting Guide 05 2015: The Brightness of Illuminated Advertisements - minimizing disturbances to residents in the evening.

"The screens will display content at 10-second intervals, in the form of both the commercial content that funds the service, as well as a wide range of local community and council content.

"As such, the proposed Street Hub will provide 876 hours of free council advertising per year with the opportunity for discounted advertising for local business groups (such as BIDs and Chambers of Commerce) and their members through BT’s Street Hub Partners Programme."

As part of the Marine Road Central proposal, BT wants to remove a phone box across the road, close to the Clock Tower, (see below, image Telent Technology Services).

They said: "The removal of this phone box will assist in the decluttering of footpaths in the wider area and enhance the broader area's visual amenity"

As part of the Victoria Street proposal, they want to remove two BT phone kiosks, one outside 2-6 Victoria Street and one close to St Laurence's Church (see below, image: Telent Technology Services).

A statement issued with the plans refers to the planning inspector's dismissal of an appeal into the decision to refuse the Cable Street, Lancaster scheme last year.

It says: "Following a detailed review of Inspectorate's report, the proposed application site ensures it will be upgrading an existing phone booth and therefore not introducing a new visual structure to this portion of the footway."

It also says: "The location of the street hub is considered compatible with the surrounding area and the unit is considered to complement and contribute the public realm by way of ensuring no adverse impact to visual amenity, pedestrian movements or street clutter."

In 2022, Lancaster City Council refused permission for Street Hubs outside Marks and Spencer on Penny Street and for near St Nicholas Arcades car park on Church Street.

Decision notices at the time, said: "Due to the scale, prominence and siting of the proposal, type of illumination and lack of any similar schemes in the immediate vicinity, the proposed 'Street Hub' unit with advertisement screens would appear as an obtrusive and conspicuous feature causing significant visual harm to the amenity of the area, and detrimental to the appearance and character of the street scene and public realm."

The new planning applications can be seen publicly in the planning section of the Lancaster City Council website lancaster.gov.uk - reference numbers 26/00640/FUL and 26/00641/ADV (Marine Road Central) and 26/00638/FUL and 26/00639/ADV (Victoria Street).

Lancaster City Council will make a decision on the applications in due course.

Read more: Plan for state-of-the-art 'Street Hub' in Lancaster to replace old payphones - Beyond Radio