City centre defibrillators plan blocked ...because they’re an eyesore

LIFE SAVING EQUIPMENT SEEN AS ‘UNNECESSARY VISUAL CLUTTER’

A PLAN to install potentially life saving equipment across Coventry has been refused by council planning officers.

Some 15 planning applications had been submitted to install digital screens – which would have a defibrillator on the reverse side.

Each screen, described in the planning application as “Communication Hubs”, would also have a telephone handset, touch screen and USB charger attached.

However, Coventry City Council’s planning officers did not think the applications by JCDecaux to be suitable for areas includ- ing Broadgate, Market Way and Corporation Street

The planning officer responsible for these applications described the units as “unnecessary visual clutter”.

His report also noted that the council is currently working to de-clutter the city centre, and the installation of these units would “undermine the city council’s regeneration and decluttering initiative”.

Another reason was cited as concerns relating to public safety on pedestrian routes. Ultimately, all 15 were refused.

A spokesman for the council said: “Concern over the size and design of the overall hubs generated a number of objections to these applications with representations from Highways and West Midlands Police amongst others.

“There had been no discussion before the application came in and although we are not opposed to them as an idea we are keen that they fit into our developing strategy for the city centre taking in to account how they work visually and how they take account of planned work.

“It was for these reasons the applications were refused.”

Research has found that just 3% of patients who suffer cardiac arrests that happen outside of hospital are treated with public access defibrillators – which the British Heart Foundation (BHF) says significantly reduces the survival chances of tens of thousands of people every year.

Tens of thousands of defibrillators are placed prominently in workplaces, train stations, leisure centres and public places across the country. There are more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year in the UK, but fewer than one in 10 people survive.