An applicant is seeking permission for an illuminated sign on a terraced row of commercial properties near Chesterfield football stadium.

Paul Hardy of Vivid Outdoor Media Solutions Ltd wants to erect the LED-lit 48 sheet advertisement on gable end wall of 317-319 Sheffield Road, Whittington Moor.

In a letter to the council, Mr Hardy states: “I am aware the there was an historical 48-sheet advertisement on the gable wall property many years ago, which was subject to discontinue action. This was before 2009 I believe. The street scene and the context in which the advertisement would be seen, has changed over the years in character. Whilst the location was previously described as a “mixed use/commercial locality”, it is now predominantly commercial. A mixed-use area suggests there might be a fairly even mix of residential and commercial properties, which there is not, it is very much commercial in character now. Since the discontinue of the former 48-sheet, there have been significant large scale additions to the street scene; namely the construction of the SMH Group Stadium, for Chesterfield Football Club in 2010, the ‘Glass Works’ Development in 2021 and also the ‘Stand Park’ Development in 2022. It is because of the change in the character of the area and the change to the surroundings in which the proposed advertisement would be viewed / seen in context with, that this application is submitted.”

Earlier this year, Mr Hardy won an appeal against the council’s refusal of his application for a 48-sheet advertisement on the front of Chesterfield Trade Centre on Sheffield Road. The borough’s planning authority based its decision on several factors including that it had the potential to distract road users approaching the nearby junction and that the advertisement was larger than others in the vicinity and would give a cluttered appearance to the streetscene.

Image of the proposed LED-illuminated advertising sign which the applicant plans for the gable wall of a terraced row of commercial properties on Sheffield Road.

placeholder image — Image of the proposed LED-illuminated advertising sign which the applicant plans for the gable wall of a terraced row of commercial properties on Sheffield Road.

Addressing the council’s reasons for turning down the application, the appeal inspector said that Mr Hardy’s supporting submission pointed to accident data provided by Crash Map showing a low level of incidents in the are and that advertisement displays on main roads were common. The inspector was not persuaded that the streetscene would appear cluttered or that the character or visual amenity of the area would be unduly harmed by the addition of the LED-illuminated 48-sheet advertisement panel.