AN iconic red telephone box in the heart of Chagford could be given a new lease of life as the home for a life-saving piece of emergency equipment under new plans.

Chagford Parish Council has applied to the Dartmoor National Park Authority for permission to convert the redundant BT K6 telephone kiosk in The Square into a publicly accessible defibrillator.

The K6 is one of Britain’s best-known telephone box designs.

Created by renowned architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1935 to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V, the distinctive red kiosk has since become an enduring feature of the British landscape.

The parish council now owns the Grade II listed kiosk after adopting it from BT.

‘We acquired it from BT when they decommissioned it in September 2025 and after consulting with parishioners it was decided to use it to house a defibrillator’, said Councillor Stuart Wright.

‘The benefit of having one in the kiosk in the square was to service emergencies within the centre of town’, Cllr Wright added.

The proposal is to replace the existing telephone equipment with a defibrillator for public use
The proposal is to replace the existing telephone equipment with a defibrillator for public use (Chagford Parish Council )

With the telephone equipment removed and the box no longer serving its original purpose, the council wants to preserve the historic structure by giving it a new and practical role within the community.

Under the proposal, a securely housed defibrillator would be installed inside the kiosk, providing 24-hour public access to emergency equipment that could prove crucial in the event of a cardiac arrest.

The plans include replacing the existing ‘Telephone’ signage with ‘Defibrillator’ signage, installing a new internal light and updated electrical supply, and repainting the kiosk inside and out in its original approved redcurrant colour.

Basic wooden shelving would also be installed for local information leaflets.

The council says the conversion would have a negligible impact on the kiosk’s historic significance.

No changes are proposed to its cast-iron framework, roof, footprint or overall form and appearance.

The council would take responsibility for the ongoing inspection, maintenance and upkeep of both the kiosk and defibrillator.

The application, reference 0280/26, argues that converting the former telephone kiosk will help preserve it, securing its future as a community asset.

A decision from Dartmoor National Park Authority is expected by November 4.