# Footpath outside 2 Benson Street, Middlesbrough (BT Street Hub)

- **Decision:** allowed, 7 September 2026
- **Decided by:** Planning Inspector: F Harrison
- **Authority:** Middlesbrough (North East)
- **Appeal reference:** 6010460
- **Application reference:** 26/0113/FUL
- **Procedure:** written-representations
- **Development:** BT Street Hub with digital advertisement panels (Appeal A planning 6010460; Appeal B advertisement consent 6010461)
- **Site context:** inside-settlement
- **Green Belt:** no
- **Framework applied:** August 2026 NPPF
- **Determinative policies:** TR4(1)(c), TR6(4)
- **Development plan policies:** Middlesbrough Core Strategy 2008 DC1, emerging Publication Local Plan 2025 IN7, CR2, CR8, Urban Design SPD 2013
- **Main issues:** street clutter, highway and public safety
- **Tags:** tier-2, street-hub, telecoms, advertisement

## Summary
BT Street Hub on a wide local-centre pavement, with linked planning (A) and advertisement (B) appeals. Both were allowed. The hub would not cause clutter, and there would be no highway harm "which Framework Policy TR6 seeks to avoid" (DL ¶12). The Inspector also found it in line with TR4's "avoids unnecessary street clutter" limb (DL ¶12). The new Framework brought "no material changes in policy emphasis" (DL ¶5).

## What made the difference
The site specifics were decisive: a generous, uncluttered pavement, a straight road with good visibility, and a commercial context. CCTV conditions were refused because problems at town-centre hubs were not shown to apply in a local centre (DL ¶14).

## Policy findings
- **TR6(4): pass.** set back on wide pavement with good visibility on a straight road; illumination controlled by condition (DL 12)
- **TR4(1)(c): pass.** minimises conflict between road users and "avoids unnecessary street clutter" (DL 12)
- **DP3: pass.** wide, uncluttered local-centre pavement absorbs the hub (DL 7-9)

## Key facts
- Local centre on Linthorpe Road, wide pavement, existing street furniture dispersed
- Conditions — ASB and noise management plans; 600 cd/m2 night luminance; 10-second minimum display

## Sources
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/published-document/c76fc65b-6bee-4941-a0bd-d11a7e1c6756
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/appeals/6010460

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Source: https://planningdistilled.org/research/england/nppf-navigator/decisions/PINS-6010460.html

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