Shrewsbury phone box defibrillator may need consent
A council may have to seek building consent to put a life saving defibrillator in a disused red phone box.
Shrewsbury Town Council is putting plans in place to install a defibrillator in the old BT box in Castle Street.
It would allow members of the public to easily access the equipment in the case of an emergency.
At the latest town council meeting, held at the Guildhall on Monday, clerk Helen Ball updated the members on the situation and explained that as there is grade listed status on the phone box, consent may be needed to add the equipment.
She said: "On the telephone box, it is grade listed and the jury is out on whether we would need listed building consent."
The information was greeted by comments of "ridiculous" from some councillors.
The authority is now seeking clarification from Shropshire Council on the matter.
Members were also informed by the clerk that BT have agreed to the sale of the phone box, for £1.
They will also keep the power supply going within the phone box to run the equipment if and when it is installed.
The clerk also said the glass windows in the box would be replaced with plastic window panels.
