Red Telephone Kiosk (listed building)

Due to lack of use (13 calls in 12 months), BT is proposing to remove the telephony from the village kiosk and eventually apply for planning permission to remove the kiosk completely.

They are offering the Parish Meeting the opportunity to adopt the kiosk for £1-00 if we would like to keep it without the telephony.

From my ongoing investigations I presently consider it would not be worthwhile adopting. Although valuable on the open market, it would never be ours to sell, and the ongoing costs of maintenance (in accordance with the restrictions applied to listed buildings by English Heritage), public liability insurance, electric lighting etc. would probably not present an economically viable case.

I am awaiting a reply from Harborough District Council Development Control to my questions as to how likely it would be that the Planning Authority would grant permission to
a) remove the telephony and
b) remove the kiosk.

There was a Parish Meeting for discussion of this topic on Wednesday 21st October at 7-30 pm in the church when it was decided against adoption, but to point out to BT that the teleone might be very useful in an emergency. Removing it could lead to unfortunate circumstances.
BT’s deadline for adoption is 31st October 2009.

Download the letter from BT by clicking on the blue heading above.
John Dyson

Earlier Correspondence for Reference