Appeal 6006112

The appeal is dismissed.

The local planning authority has drawn my attention to the policies it considers to be relevant to this appeal. I have taken them into account as a material consideration. However, powers under the regulations to control advertisements may be exercised only in the interests of amenity and public safety, taking into account the provisions of the development plan only insofar as they are material and any other relevant factors. Insofar as it is relevant, I have also had regard to the latest published version of the National Planning Policy Framework 2024 (as amended) (the Framework).

The main issue is the effect of the digital display upon visual amenity.

The proposal is to replace an existing static advertisement board with a digital LED advertising display with dimensions of about 1.[address] and a depth of 0.2 metres, all standing on two poles one metre from the ground. The digital advertisement would be lit internally to a level of 300cd/m2 but falling to 150cd/m2 during hours of darkness. Images on the screen would be in colour and static, and each image would not have a duration of less than 10 seconds.

The proposed digital display would be located in an area of mixed uses, with a modern commercial park on the opposite side of the road, but where the veterinary building and the proposed site for the digital display has a more landscaped setting with mature shrubs bordering [address] and the cycleway alongside it. It is more associated with the open land to the north and east which has a rural feel with pedestrian paths through it. Appeal Decision : 6006112

On my site visit, I was able to note the free-standing, existing hoarding advertising the location and presence of [site address] and which would be replaced by the digital display. However, there is a general absence of advertising in the immediate locality on the same side of the road. In the context of its landscaped setting , the digital display, by its colour and changing images, would be an incongruous feature which would detract from the landscaping.

I recognise that Planning Practice Guidance alludes to advertisements being more acceptable where there are large commercial buildings and main highways.1 However, in this instance, this side of the road is not exclusively commercial and has a more green and landscaped appearance.

My attention has been drawn to an advertisement display, allowed on appeal further along [address] and sited adjacent to the roundabout serving [address], [address], [address] and the B10182. However, I do not consider the environment of the current appeal to be comparable to that of the allowed appeal, with the latter having a much greater commercial character and appearance with a number of commercial and industrial buildings at the junctions with each exit.

I conclude that the proposed display would not accord with Policies SP7 and LPP52 of the Braintree District Local Plan 2022 which require development to reflect and enhance the quality of existing places and their environments, nor with the Framework which notes in chapter 12 that the quality and character of places can suffer when advertisements are poorly sited and designed. .Conclusion

For the reasons given above, the appeal is dismissed.