Planning permission may be needed to refurbish or change the use of an iconic red telephone box in Kington

Kington Town Council agreed at its January meeting that it would like to adopt the redundant phone box on Church Street and refurbish and repurpose it.

The council can adopt the phone box for £1 and members also agreed to set aside £500 for refurbishment.

Town clerk Liz Kelso told members at a recent meeting that she had contacted BT and a contract has been received to transfer ownership and it will be added to the March agenda for the council to consider signing it.

She said the contract restricts use of the phone box to community and charitable purposes and has defined those purposes to exclude any promotion of any business, products or services and prohibits the subletting of the box to any other entity.

BT also pointed out that the telephone box is a listed building and so enquiries are now being made of Herefordshire Council planning department to see if planning permission would be needed for any refurbishment or change of use.

Since 2008, almost 4,000 communities and charitable bodies have adopted more than 5,800 iconic red kiosks and around 800 of the more modern glass boxes.

People have come up fantastic ideas on how to repurpose them from housing defibrillator to art exhibitions and even a pub.

Members noted the information