Committee Date: 21/08/2014 Application Number: 2014/04720/PA Accepted: 01/07/2014 Application Type: Advertisement Target Date: 26/08/2014 Ward: Ladywood B4100 Moor Street Queensway, City Centre, Birmingham, B4 Display of 8 non-illuminated lamppost advertisement banners Applicant: Agent: Recommendation Approve Temporary Birmingham City Council Room 237, Council House, Victoria Square, Birmingham, B1 1BB Bay Media Limited 19 Deane House Studios, 27 Greenwood Place, Kentish Town, London, NW5 1LB 1. Proposal 1.1. This application proposes the installation of 8 no. non-illuminated advertisement banners on lampposts along Moor Street Queensway. 1.2. The banners would be affixed to the lamppost columns 2.8m above ground level (to the base of the advert) and would measure 2.2m in height X 0.79m wide. The banners would be made of PVC which would be affixed top and bottom to arms affixed to the column. 1.3. Consent is sought for a limited period from the 18 th August until 31 st March 2015. This corresponds with the length of a contract the applicant has entered into with the city in order to pilot the principle of advertising on existing highway infrastructure. Computer Generated Visual Site Plan 2. Site & Surroundings 2.1. The application site comprises columns on the footway situated on Moor Street Queensway. These lighting columns form part of the general highway infrastructure along this main road. 2.2. The wider surroundings are characterised by large scale buildings. The surrounding area is predominantly commercial. To the east is a surface car park and Moor Street Station Grade II Listed Building. To the west is Pavilions shopping centre, Carrs Lane Church and St Michael s Church. Site Location Street View Page 1 of 5
3. Planning History 3.1. None relevant on the application site, however this application forms one of a number of such submissions on your committee s agenda. 4. Consultation/PP Responses 4.1. Birmingham City Centre Management and Retail Birmingham Business Improvement District notified. Retail Birmingham Business Improvement District states that the use of the banners to promote city events is an excellent proposal, however sensitive advertisements are only approved for display to protect the city s global image, reputation and its population. 4.2. Transportation Development Raise no objection but recommend that any banners projecting towards the carriageway need to be set back a minimum of 500mm from the kerb or positioned at the back of the column away from the carriageway. In addition they have passed on Centro s concerns regarding the potential to conflict with the extension to the Metro scheme. In addition City Centre Management s concerns regarding a potential conflict with festive lighting have also been relayed. 5. Policy Context 5.1. Birmingham Unitary Development Plan 2005; the submission draft Birmingham Development Plan; and the National Planning Policy Framework 2012. 6. Planning Considerations 6.1. The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations (2007) restrict Local Planning Authorities to consider only amenity and public safety when determining applications for consent to display advertisements. AMENITY 6.2. The NPPF, at policy 67, states that poorly placed adverts can have a negative impact on the appearance of the built environment. It adds that only those advertisements that will clearly have an appreciable impact on a building to their surroundings should be subject to a Local Authority s detailed assessment. Finally it states that cumulative impact should be considered. 6.3. The proposed adverts would be in scale with the existing street and would not dominate the highway environment. The banners would be situated at appropriate locations and would not over-burden the street with advertising. The adverts would read as part of the highway infrastructure and are primarily aimed at motorists rather than pedestrians. I therefore do not consider that the proposals would constitute clutter within the street scene and consider the scale of the proposed advertisement signs acceptable. In addition, the banners have been located away from the Grade II Moor Street Station and therefore would preserve the appearance of the Listed Building. 6.4. The concerns raised by Birmingham City Centre Management has been noted, however, this is not a material consideration. Notwithstanding this, the city/applicants are in discussions to ensure that the festive lighting programme is not materially compromised. The banners, as retro-fit items, are flexible and can be removed and re-installed around the festive lighting scheme if needed. Page 2 of 5
6.5. I therefore raise no objection to the proposed adverts on the grounds of public amenity. HIGHWAY SAFETY 6.6. The proposed advertisement banners would form part of the highway environment and an appropriate level of forward visibility is provided in order for drivers to assimilate the contents of the advert without causing highway safety concerns. Such banners are not an unusual feature within main highways and therefore would not cause an unacceptable degree of driver distraction. 6.7. Transportation Development raises no objection subject to confirmation that the advertisement panels would be a sufficient distance from the kerb edge so as not to conflict with vehicular traffic. I concur with this conclusion and an appropriate condition is recommended. 6.8. I therefore raise no objection to the proposals on public safety ground subject to the imposition of a suitable safeguarding condition. METRO 6.9. Centro s comments regarding the potential to increase the costs of implementing the BCCE extension to the metro scheme are noted. Whilst the city is keen to facilitate the metro extension this would not form a material consideration with the Regulations. I also note the limited period applied for, which would not conflict with the timetable for implementing the BCCE extensions and that this site is not upon any currently consented metro route. Centro s concerns have been raised with the applicant and officers involved in issuing the contract. 7. Conclusion 7.1. I therefore recommend that this application is granted temporary consent. 8. Recommendation 8.1. Temporary consent subject to the following conditions: 1 The advertisement banners hereby approved shall be situated either at least 500mm from the kerb edge or no closer to the highway than the existing lamppost to which they are attached 2 Requires the scheme to be in accordance with the listed approved plans 3 Limits the approval until 31st March 2015 Case Officer: Anh Do Page 3 of 5
Photo(s) View South Page 4 of 5
Location Plan elters 59 DALE EN Bank 7 DINGLEY'S PASSAGE TCBs ALBERT STREET 3 Kings Parade 28 to 38 1 to 2 12 to 26 Car Park HIGH STREET 50 to 54 57 58 Gateway House Hotel NEW MEETING STREET 6 Presby St Michaels Catholic Church Shelters MOOR STREET QUEENSWAY 35 to 37 7.4m CARRS LANE Carrs Lane Church Centre (United Reform) FREEMAN STREET 7 42 to 48 39 41 124.1m Car Park Shelters SLs Pavilions Shopping Centre SL 88to9 Warehouse Def FB Moor Street Station MOOR STREET This map is reproduced from the Ordnance Survey Material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Birmingham City Council. Licence No.100021326, 2010 Page 5 of 5