29/08/2026
Planning Application for a BT Street Hub in Sheringham Town Centre
What is being proposed — and what do you think?
Comments need to be submitted to the District Council by 3 September 2026
BT has submitted a planning application to replace the existing public telephone box near the Postal Sorting Office in Sheringham with a BT Street Hub.
Features
Large illuminated 24-hour double-sided digital advertising run by a national marketing agency
Free public Wi-Fi within approximately 150 metres
Free calls to UK landlines and mobiles
USB mobile-device charging
Prominent 999 emergency call button
Facility for local authority emergency and public information messages
Ability for businesses to advertise subject to the cost
Potential Issues
Impact and loss of character and appearance of the town centre
Large 24-hour illuminated structure not appropriate for a designated conservation area; all other external illuminated signage has been turned down previously.
Close to heritage features including the Town Clock and historic town sign
Potential for people to congregate around the hub unit, attracted by free phone calls, free Wi-Fi and USB charging, leading to nuisance or anti-social behaviour
Driver Distraction and Road Safety: the hub is close to a dropped kerb and road crossing area in one of the busiest parts of the town centre
Environmental concerns. A single unit consumes 10,000 to 11,500 kilowatts of energy a year, which is as much energy as three UK households
London, Bath, Norwich and Stroud are locations where BT Street Hubs have been selectively rejected
The prominent Red 999 button on the unit has increased fake 999 calls
Close to residential accommodation
Wi-Fi hotspots in Sheringham have already caused anti-social issues at the Town Clock and Tesco’s entrance.
The town centre seating could fill with groups at all hours, using the free facilities and possibly creating an intimidating environment in the town centre
Adds to visual and street clutter
The Hub can, according to reports from other areas, be used for untraceable phone calls related to crime. Bath and North East Somerset Council has just blocked the plan for a BT Street Hub after the police warned it could worsen anti-social behaviour and be used to contact drug lines from an untraceable phone line
Advertising costs unlikely to be in line with local advertising rates for Sheringham’s small businesses
Light pollution
What do you think?
Do the potential benefits of the Street Hub outweigh any possible impacts on this part of Sheringham’s town centre?
Have your say
Please do it now as responses close on Thursday 3rd September
You can submit your own comments directly to the District Council through its planning application portal. Your feedback will be anonymised, so other members of the public will not be able to see who wrote it. Click or copy this link.
https://idoxpa.north-norfolk.gov.uk/online-applications/
Then type in the following planning reference ADV/26/1491
Comments can be made in support of the application, in objection to it, or simply to raise observations or suggest matters that you believe the District Council planning authority should consider.
Sheringham Town Council Meeting To Discuss the Application
Date and time: Wednesday 2 September 2026 at 7:00pm
Location: Sheringham Community Centre
Sheringham Town Council is a consultee on the planning application. Our Town Council has arranged a public meeting to discuss the application and prepare the Town Council's response.
Members of the public are welcome to attend the meeting and will have an opportunity to make their views known in accordance with the meeting's usual arrangements.
Please note that the Town Council does not make the final decision on the application. North Norfolk District Council's planning authority will determine the application, so anyone wishing to comment directly should submit their views through the District Council on the link above.
Deadline for comments to the District Council: Thursday 3 September 2026
