Concerns over city centre LED advert
Bristol residents have expressed concern over the proposed plans for a new LED advert in the city centre.
Friday, 18 Jan 2019 15:15 GMT
The proposed sign would appear near Bristol’s Cabot Circus car park. Photo: Matt Buck
The proposed digital advert from Clear Channel would be 9.6m tall and would be internally lit, standing on a piece of land where cars arriving off of the M32 come into the city centre, with multiple pedestrian crossings in place.
There is already a billboard in place on the proposed site, but it is currently not a digital sign omitting any light. Listed on the council website, the proposal has gathered 31 comments from local residents and businesses who say the sign will add further danger to an already dangerous road.
A comment submitted on behalf of businesses and residents of the Christmas Steps Arts Quarter, a popular shopping district in the city, expressed that the sign would “interfere with driver concentration” where lane selection and attention to the road is critical.
In view of this and its close proximity to the pedestrian crossing and junction, the potential for even a degree of driver distraction would be harmful”
The complaint continues: “The advertisement would be situated in a very prominent location and its scale, form and continually changing nature would become one of the dominant visual features in the area, detracting from the functional nature of the highway infrastructure.
“In view of this and its close proximity to the pedestrian crossing and junction, the potential for even a degree of driver distraction would be harmful with such a limited margin for driver error.”
Other complaints cited concerns over the environment, the amenity of the area, safety over pedestrians and worries over “increased consumerism” that many argue does not reflect the ethos of the city.
Green councillor for Bristol, Stephen Clarke, expressed his objection to the sign based on amenity and safety. He comments: “I would submit that such LED advertising hoarding impacts harmfully on the amenity of the area and means that people who have not given their consent are visually bombarded with adverting messages that are potentially harmful and intrusive.”
He added that the “enhanced form of advertising” would be comprising for both drivers and pedestrians as this particular spot would be “distracting and confusing.”
The determination deadline for the application is listed as Monday, January 28th, 2019.
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