Upgrade of advertising display in Limerick denied
National planners rule out proposed upgrade on advertising space
OUTDOOR advertising agency JCDecaux Ireland has been denied planning permission to replace an advertising display outside a listed building in Limerick.
The company made an application to Limerick City and County Council for permission to change the advertising display which is located on the side of Timmy Martin’s Pub at Sarsfield Street in the city centre.
The firm said it wanted to replace the existing internally illuminated advertising display with a digital advertising display structure.
This could be remotely operated and changed at 10-second intervals, and, the firm added, would operate at below the recommended brightness.
However, council refused permission for this, saying it would materially detract from the historic architectural character and visual amenity of the building, as well as its prominent setting on a key approach road into Limerick city centre.
"By reason of its scale, illumination, animated digital context and visual dominance, the proposed is not sensitively sited or designed and is not in character with the protected structure,” they ruled.
Off the back of this decision, JCDecaux made an appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála.
The firm stated its new advertising signage is actually halved in size to a depth of around 300 millimetres.
It also added that the illuminations will be turned down between 2am and 6am.
Two other advertising displays owned by the firm will be decommissioned elsewhere in the city, reducing advertising space elsewhere.
"The proposed development would not materially detract from the historic architectural character and visual amenity setting or character of the building. In this case, as a sign already exists, this existing character will not be materially altered as a result of the proposed development,” added agents for the company.
Despite this, An Coimisiún Pleanála agreed with Limerick City and County Council and upheld the decision to refuse planning permission at the site in the urban area.