Five new ‘Community Hubs’ could be created in Southport town centre.
The new Hub units offer a range of publicly accessible functions which include free calls to landlines, free Wi-Fi, interactive wayfinding, direct access to local web pages, a 24/7 publicly accessible defibrillator and device charging.
The communication apparatus also includes an advertised face on the reverse of the unit.
In Focus Network Ltd has submitted a planning application for the 2.63 metre high devices to Sefton Council for sites at:
- Pavement o/s 25-27 London Street, Southport, PR9 0UF
- Pavement o/s 36-40 London Street, Southport, PR9 0TJ
- Pavement o/s 57-61 Chapel Street, Southport, PR8 1AL
- Pavement o/s 31-39 Chapel Street, Southport, PR8 1AH
- Pavement o/s26-28 Chapel Street, Southport, PR8 1AL
The defibrillators would be provided by the Community Heartbeat Trust.
In the submission, JCDecaux UK Ltd said: “The unit stands at a height of approximately 2.63 metres, has a slender side profile measuring 0.3 metres and occupies an area of around 0.4m2 metres.
“The screen is elevated by 530mm above the pavement and intended for a pedestrian audience.
“The communication side of the unit includes a projecting canopy comprising solar panels that are used to light the unit.
“The communication side of the Hub is activated via a 32” touchscreen above a defibrillator cabinet, which is a standard feature on all units. This side of the Hub also includes the charging point, direct emergency service line and local news channels.
“When not in use the 32” screen can be programmed to default to a map of the town centre.
“A touchpad is positioned at 1m from the ground to provide easy access for wheelchair users and the screen is designed with high contrast colours to assist the partially sighted.
“The Unit brings In Focus public phone services up to date to include the next generation of communication provision which is free to the public. This type of development is supported by the Government’s Statement of Strategic Priorities1, which expresses the aim of creating a reliable and accessible world class digital infrastructure in the UK.
“The provision of the free to use network is funded by the revenue from the advertisement on the rear of the unit.
“The application sites are all within the town centre and located in areas of heavy footfall where people will see and use the apparatus.
“The proposed hubs will form part of the commercial centre where the retail activity is the dominant use and holds influence on the street pattern and appearance. The hub units form a small scale of development and effort has been made for the hubs to be sited sensitively as to have a limited impact on the heritage assets nearby.
“Within the context of the application sites, it is considered the proposed communication Hub unit would not appear out of place but would complement the public realm and enhance the experience of people visiting Southport.
“The use and application of modern digital technology can promote inclusivity and harness the potential to keep communities connected whilst supporting the retail functions that benefit residents, visitors, and businesses.
“Primarily these proposals, which are submitted on behalf of In Focus Public Networks Ltd, are communication apparatus that use the latest form of digital technology.
The communication Hub is a new product and one that embodies the principles of good design, sustainability and innovation in product development. These attributes are the main features of this furniture, qualities that distinguished the Hub Unit in the IEMA 2020 Awards shortlist.”
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