Last month, I attempted, at the City Council's Development Management Committee, to stop ugly BT Openreach 'utility' boxes being placed at three sites in Conservation Areas in the West End.
Tonight, at this month's committee, I moved refusal of two more of these unsightly boxes being placed near Blackness Primary School and in Taylor's Lane. The residents in Taylor's Lane near to the site of one of these boxes are very unhappy about this being placed adjacent to their homes, but unfortunately I lost the vote 16-8. I again make the point that BT Openreach should provide appropriate and sympathetically designed utility boxes in Conservation Areas, rather than saddling the community with large, ugly and unsightly boxes.
I am sure no-one is against improving the broadband services that these boxes service, but housing the equipment in these ugly boxes is a blight on our conservation areas. A bit of community concern on behalf of BT Openreach would be welcomed.