The applications have been made by outdoor advertising company JCDecaux but were shot down due to beliefs that the advertisement propositions are not low impact enough.
Measuring in at 2.7m high and 1.2m wide, the new payphone structures are considerably larger than older phonebooths in the city. The booths have the capacity to show up to four adverts a minute using a 75” LCD screen.
As custodians of the city, we have a responsibility to maintain the quality of the streets and public realm”
Speaking to Smart Cities World, chair of the City of Melbourne’s planning portfolio, councillor Nicholas Reece, says: “As custodians of the city, we have a responsibility to maintain the quality of the streets and public realm.
“We don’t want people to be bombarded with oversized and intrusive commercial advertising on public infrastructure. First and foremost, cities are for people, and the interests of the people who use our streets must come first.”
Complaints from members of the public about the large phone booths include the fact that they are distracting, impeding pedestrian traffic and as a result are negatively impacting a number of local retailers and businesses.
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