A PROPOSAL to bring a taste of the metropolis to a seaside town has promised ‘numerous’ benefits to local residents in a North Cornwall town.

The Urban Innovation Company has submitted a planning application to install two ‘city-style’ digital advertising boards featuring public amenities at two selected locations in Bude.

If approved, their ‘Pulse Smart Hubs’ will be installed at locations on Queen Street and The Crescent in the town.

With the sold advertising paying for the upkeep of the digital LED boards, which the company says will offer a range of community amenities, including a public access defibrillator.

Other benefits of the proposals listed by the Urban Innovation Company include free access to the following: Built-in Public Access Defibrillator, built-in nasal Naloxone opioid antagonist (a drug used under controlled conditions for the emergency treatment of a drug overdose) and an emergency safety button to support anyone who is vulnerable.

Other benefits include a 999-emergency service button, free phone calls with a built-in speaker and receiver, free Wi-Fi, digital wayfinding/mapping, wireless mobile phone charging and hyper-local information on what’s on, council services and helplines.

In the planning application, the company added: “The design of the Pulse Smart Hubs has been developed over time and is a high quality, multifunctional piece of street furniture which maximises the services available to the public within a footprint smaller than a traditional public call box.

“The Internet of Things (IoT) technology and provision of open-source data provide endless potential applications that will see the use of the Hub evolve. The two proposed digital displays form part of the offer to local stakeholders and will be made available for a wide range of public uses.

“They are a key element of the proposal as they will support the advertising required to make the scheme viable without any capital or revenue costs to the Council or the public.”

The company also said that it would donate advertising space to local organisations, businesses and the community as well as stating its intentions to work collaboratively with the local community going forward if the plans are approved.

“Furthermore, a minimum of five per cent of total screen time on the main two digital screens is given over for free to local organisations, businesses and the community to use on a daily basis. In Belfast the screens have been used by Police Service Northern Ireland, Belfast City Council, City Centre Management, Business Improvement Districts, charities and tourism boards amongst others.

“Across a typical 18-hour window of screen time, five per cent is equivalent to 650 free messaging spots per hub for the community to benefit from free of charge. UIC and its advertising partners also support creative formatting to help the local community make best use of the screens.”

The application is currently under consideration by Cornwall Council, which will make the final decision on whether to grant consent for the installation of the two digital smart hubs.

The full plans can be found using reference PA26/00337 on the Cornwall Council website.