Plans for ‘distracting’ advertising screen facing Chesterfield roundabout dismissed by inspector

Proposals to put up an advertising screen near a busy Chesterfield roundabout have been dealt another blow – this time by a Government planning inspector.
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London-based Alight Media wanted to display a 48 sheet digital LED unit facing Lordsmill roundabout.

Chesterfield Borough Council refused the firm’s planning application last year after highways chiefs said the screen would be a ‘distraction’ to drivers.

Chesterfield's Lordsmill roundabout. Picture from Google.Chesterfield's Lordsmill roundabout. Picture from Google.
Chesterfield's Lordsmill roundabout. Picture from Google.
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Alight Media appealed against the council’s refusal to the Planning Inspectorate.

Now, the Derbyshire Times has been made of the Planning Inspectorate’s report, which dismisses the appeal.

Planning documents show Alight Media wanted to put the 6.2m-wide, 3.2m-high unit within the Lordsmill Gate retail park.

Located on steel poles 2.7m above the ground, it would display static adverts which would change every 10 seconds.

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The Planning Inspectorate’s report states: “The digital illumination would result in a visually incongruous feature that would stand out from the other, more modest, advertisements in the area and would be a dominant feature for drivers when approaching and entering the roundabout.

“Given the minimum of 10 seconds between the changing of the advert display, albeit with limited transition time, this has the potential to distract motorists and create visual confusion, despite a lack of traffic signals on the roundabout itself.

“Moreover, for drivers negotiating the roundabout, significant attention needs to be paid to lane arrangements and traffic conditions.

“Given its scale and illumination, the advert would be a distraction to the concentration that is required, particularly when approaching the roundabout exits to Lordsmill Street and Hollis Lane, where the advertisement would be highly visible.

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“I conclude that the display of the advertisement would be detrimental to the interests of public safety.

“Therefore, I recommend that the appeal should be dismissed.”

Alight Media said in its planning statement: “Digital displays are now commonplace in the main urban areas of the country and they have been shown to be no more distracting than other forms of advertisement.

“These digital displays have been operational for several years now in the main cities and have had no record of causing any more distraction than conventional ones,” the company added.

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