Plans to install a new digital communication kiosk at Leamington Railway Station have been refused.

The kiosk, which aimed to modernise public phone infrastructure while adding emergency and digital services, was denied the go ahead by the Council on 1 May.

In the decision letter, the Local Planning Authority (LPA) concluded: "the proposal would cause less than substantial harm to the significance of the adjacent listed building and conservation area, with the proposed kiosk considered to result in additional visual clutter that would fail to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the streetscene."

Also, "the positioning of the kiosk forms part of the existing views to the Grade II listed station, with its installation within this highly visible position considered to result in a harmful visual draw that will have a detrimental impact upon the setting of this designated heritage asset" with "no public benefits identified" to outweigh this harm.

In the planning documents, it was stated the proposed black kiosk would combine traditional public telephony with a range of new features, including touchscreen wayfinding, public Wi-Fi capability and integrated defibrillators.

Each unit would also include a digital advertising screen to help fund installation and maintenance.

The proposed black kiosk will combine traditional public telephony with a range of new features, including touchscreen wayfinding, public Wi-Fi capability and integrated defibrillators. (image via planning application)

Local groups including Royal Leamington Spa Town Council also objected the plans, "on grounds of the kiosk being positioned in a location that interferes with the line of sight of passengers to oncoming buses."

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WDC Conservation group objected the application, citing the kiosk appeared as an "incongruous feature to the detriment of views to the Grade II listed station."

There were no public responses including objections or supporting comments regarding the plans.

According to planning documents, the scheme forms part of a wider national rollout to upgrade ageing phone boxes into "multi-functional communication hubs" suited to modern urban life.

The application, submitted by New World Payphones (NWP) also seeks permission for two kiosks in Warwick, including at Coten End and Emscote Road.

A key feature of the kiosks is the inclusion of defibrillators, aimed at enhancing emergency response within busy public areas. These devices would be registered with national ambulance systems, allowing first responders to locate them swiftly.

View the full plans here.

Comparison with existing Telephone Kiosk (image via planning documents)