Digital Kiosks With Public Defibrillators Proposed For Coleraine, Ballymoney And Limavady

New World Payphones has submitted planning applications for kiosks featuring illuminated digital advertising screens, public telephones and defibrillators in Coleraine, Ballymoney and Limavady.

The proposals would also provide interactive touchscreens offering local information, maps, visitor guidance and contact details for emergency and support services.

The company operates about 1,500 telephone kiosks across the United Kingdom, including more than 500 multi-functional units. In its planning statement, it says it currently has no kiosks in Northern Ireland and wants to establish a network here to complement its existing operations.

Approximate locations identified for the applications include:

• Ballymoney: Main Street and Castle Street.
• Limavady: Crawford Square, Irish Green Street and Connell Street.
• Coleraine: Lisnablagh Road, Abbey Street, Rugby Avenue, Brookmount Court, Hanover Place and the public footpath at the bus stop layby beside Loreto College on Castlerock Road.

According to the statement, the digital advertising screens would show static images changing every 10 seconds, with no flashing, scrolling or animated content proposed.

Their brightness would adjust automatically to surrounding light levels, and the advertising displays would be switched off after midnight. The screens could also carry local charity messages, emergency notices and public health information. 

The company argues that public telephones continue to serve people without access to a working mobile phone, those in areas with unreliable coverage and people seeking help from crisis or support organisations.

Telephone equipment would accept credit and debit cards, while the statement also describes free access to emergency and appropriate helpline calls.

The proposed kiosks would stand about 2.46 metres high and have an open design intended to accommodate wheelchair users. They would also support public Wi-Fi and additional telecommunications equipment.

Publicly accessible defibrillators would be registered with The Circuit, the national defibrillator network, allowing ambulance services to identify their locations and provide access codes when required. The company says it would service the devices annually. 

New World Payphones says it would monitor the units remotely to identify faults, with regular cleaning and maintenance.

The proposals seek planning permission and advertisement consent, with the suitability of each location dependent on considerations including pedestrian access, road safety and the impact on the surrounding area.