Plans to install more than a dozen interactive digital screens on streets across Edinburgh have been taken to the Scottish Government after the council branded them "advertisement clutter" and refused permission.
Over recent months Edinburgh City Council has thrown out 18 separate applications lodged by BT for touch-screen 'Street Hubs'.
As well as generating income from commercial advertising, the large LED displays give the council five per cent of screen time, provide free wifi, charging, calls and boost 5G signal in the area.
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They are proposed to replace 35 eyesore phone boxes which BT have come under increasing pressure to rid the capital's streets of.
One councillor said the city was being "held to ransom" by BT and another accused it of "vandalism of public space" by making the payphones' removal conditional of getting permission for the controversial Hubs, which have already been rolled out in more than 20 UK cities including Glasgow and Aberdeen.
An application to site a screen beside White Park in Gorgie was met with 85 objections from local residents. One of them, Caitlin Barrow, of Stewart Terrace, argued parks "should be left as one of the few screenless places remaining in the city".
Roseburn Place resident Rosslyn Baird added: "I am absolutely horrified that this green space for the people of Gorgie could be desecrated by this structure.
"It is long past time that the council should start protecting public spaces in the interests of the health and well-being of residents."
Rhys Stevenson from Portobello said: "Our parks and green spaces belong to the people of Edinburgh, and should not be exploited for private commercial purposes.
"These boards will be an eyesore in the park and send a signal to visitors that our council prioritises private profit over community spaces."
Last month the telecoms firm said concerns had been "taken on board" and announced "extra resources" were being deployed to clean-up phone boxes around the city centre EH1 and EH2 postcodes.
A spokesperson added: “We are in discussions with Edinburgh Council to bring our new Street Hubs to the city, which cut the risk of anti-social behaviour whilst providing community benefits."
However, following a raft of refusals from city planners, who said Street Hubs are "advertisement clutter" and would not comply with the council's design and advertising guidance, BT has lodged appeals with the Scottish Government.
If planning reporters rule that the council's refusal of advertising consent was not justified it could pave the way for BT to begin rolling-out the devices in Edinburgh.
Last month a similar battle between Dundee City Council and the London-based holding company resulted in the Government overruling the local authority and giving the go-ahead for six city centre phone kiosks to be replaced with four Hubs.
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A BT spokesperson maintained the company is "working with Edinburgh City Council" to bring Street Hubs to the city.
They added: “We have lodged 18 planning appeals so that some of the benefits Street Hubs bring can be reconsidered, including our linked plans to remove up to 50 existing phone boxes.
"We’d love Edinburgh to join Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen and other UK cities so they can enjoy the benefits of our Street Hubs. We already have over 500 Street Hubs active in the UK. Last year, 30,000 calls were made to 999 and 10,000 calls to charity helplines from our Street Hubs.
“We have 5G mobile signal boosters in some of our existing payphones through a partnership with Edinburgh City Council, supporting the huge mobile phone demands in the city, especially in the summer.”
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