Plans for a huge digital advertising screen in Hereford have been refused by Herefordshire Council.
The plans would have see the advertising screen installed on land at The Richmond Club on Edgar Street in Hereford. A previous application for a similar sized advertising board next to Hereford FCās stadium was also rejected.
Herefordshire Council gave the following reasons for the refusal to grant planning:
The proposed digital signage is clearly designed to attract the attention of road users travelling south along the A49. At this point in the public highway, drivers need to take more care as it is a complex and busy part of the network, where numerous junctions, lane changing and interaction between road users occurs. The digital sign, by reason of its transitory nature, siting, orientation, illumination and scale, would seriously harm the safe operation of the public highway. As such, the proposal adversely affects public safety, contrary to Policy MT1 of the Herefordshire Local Plan – Core Strategy, paragraphs 111, 112 and 136 of the National Planning Policy Framework and the provisions of the Planning Practice Guidance.
The proposed digital signage, by reason of its scale, siting, illumination, transitory nature and overtly commercial appearance, would harm the visual amenity and more understated characteristics of the area. It would form an incongruous and unduly intrusive addition, undermining the important contribution of the adjacent mature street trees to their urban setting in the Central Conservation Area. Accordingly, the application proposal runs contrary to Policies SD1, SS6, LD1 and LD4 of the Herefordshire Local Plan – Core Strategy, paragraphs 131, 136 and 206 of the National Planning Policy Framework and the provisions of the Planning Practice Guidance.
Alight Media Ltd submitted the plans to Herefordshire Council for the proposed installation of 1 x 48 sheet freestanding digital advertising display unit, measuring 6.4m wide x 3.4m high, and comprising pressed metal frame with sealed LED screen.
