Proposed phone kiosk outside Newtownabbey church refused
The proposed installation of a telephone kiosk outside Abbey Presbyterian Church, Jordanstown Road, Newtownabbey, has been refused.
The application by New World Payphones was turned down at a meeting of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Planning Committee.
A planning officer told the committee the proposed location is on an area of public footpath adjacent to the church car park and seeks to replace an existing public pay phone. There was one letter of objection expressing concern over potential negative impact on Abbey Presbyterian Church.
A committee report indicated the proposed site is approximately 670m from a kiosk which is scheduled for removal. The recommendation was to refuse planning permission and advertising consent.
A company representative highlighted the potential benefits of the application for the community including features such as phone calls, wi-fi and a defibrillator.
“There is public benefit from this project,” he stressed. He went on to say the proposed location would be separate from the church.
Macedon Ulster Unionist Councillor Robert Foster asked if the applicant is “determined to place these near schools”. Cllr Foster noted the proximity to a school in the area, Abbey Community College.
Planning permission for a digital advertisement unit with payphone to be located at 224 Carnmoney Road, Newtownabbey, was approved by the Planning Committee. At the time, Cllr Foster highlighted the proposed location in front of a “very busy” primary school.
Referring to the proposal at Jordanstown Road, Cllr Foster said: “This is a very dangerous junction. There have been many accidents at this junction.”
The company representative replied: “We are not trying to target schools. We are trying to have mixed use areas. We are trying to avoid residential areas and main arterial routes. We do not want to annoy local residents.”
Airport DUP Alderman Matthew Magill said the proposed location “looks quite close to the church entrance and their notice board”.
The company representative said the company “absolutely would consider moving it slightly” to a “more suitable location”. He added: “We were trying to get away from the junction.”
Commenting on a query from Glengormley Sinn Fein Cllr Rosie Kinnear over siting, Barry Diamond, the council’s head of planning, stated: “When you look at the streetscape, the kiosk would be open and exposed.”
He noted the proposed location is 70 to 80 metres from the road junction. Mr Diamond added an application at Hightown Road was on a footpath “set in against a fence and vegetation”, which he said, would “reduce the overall visual impact”.
“This is very open. It will stand out on its own. We do not think it would be good at this location, not because it is not acceptable in the area. I feel it is too open and exposed and that is why we consider it unacceptable.”
Cllr Foster said he did not believe it would make a “positive contribution to the surrounding urban area”.
Cllr Kinnear proposed accepting the recommendation to refuse permission, seconded by Threemilewater DUP Cllr Sam Flanagan. Planning permission was refused following a vote in which ten councillors were in favour with one against.
Cllr Flanagan moved the recommendation to refuse advertisement consent, seconded by Cllr Foster. Consent was refused following a vote in which ten members were in favour with one, against.
Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter