BT are seeking prior approval for the installation of an Openreach Broadband Cabinet on the footway at Trehill, in front of the thatched Trehill Cottage. The Vale of Glamorgan Planning Reference is 2013/00958/PNT. The cabinets positioning in the footway will leave slightly more footway width than the councils minimum of 1.2 metres, however, this is less than the 2m recommendation by the DfT's Manual for Streets and Inclusive
Mobility Guidance Published 15 December, 2005 the DfT's Inclusive Mobility Guidance says: 3.1 Widths Clearly, reducing footway widths to site a cabinet is not a physical constraint on pavement width(?) The DfT's Manual For Streets says the following on footway widths: 6.3.22 There is no maximum width for footways. In lightly used streets (such as those with a purely residential function), the minimum unobstructed width for pedestrians should generally be 2 m. The existing footway is no more than 2m wide, just reaching the minimum at this point in the village. BT explain their choice of location and design in their planning application, saying: The site has been chosen so that it presents the least visually obtrusive location as far as is practicable. Every effort has been made to locate the cabinet so as not to impact upon the surrounding environment. Consideration has been given to sight lines entering and exiting side roads, driveways and junctions. Consideration has been given to the width of the pavement and to provide ease of access for pedestrians. A minimum of 1 .2m Is allowed but wherever possible the greatest amount of available space is chosen. Where this may impact upon underground cabling, gas mains, additional telecommunications ducting and cabling or footings of adjacent buildings, every effort has been made to ensure that the location of the cabinet does not impact upon the use of the highway.
The proposed OS LAM Cabinet installation forms a part of the government’s wider Digital Britain project The cabinet will provide Super Fast Broadband connectivity to the majority of the population boosting not only an individual’s use of the internet and thus the wider world but also boost the local economy and benefit a wide range of SMEs.
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