Hug a street cabinet campaign needed
Tuesday 14 February 2012 11:15:28 by Andrew Ferguson

In Churchgate Street, Bury St Edmunds Openreach has an existing cabinet opposite the Queens Head, back in 2010 it tried to get permission to locate a new cabinet to house its FTTC service. Alas after an objection to its original location, and a revised location was found to be too close to the pub cellar a new application is underway.

Openreach has code powers so most cabinets they install do not need planning permission, in conservation areas permission is required, and in UK towns with narrow pavements finding a suitable location can prove difficult. In theory it should be possible to locate the hardware under the pavement, but many pavements also carry other utilities just under the surface. The solution many will say is dispense with the cabinet in that area, and install FTTP, but even that can require the expansion of existing chambers to house splitters.