Issue - meetings

Advertisement Consent for installation of 1 no. acrylic white externally illuminated "McDonald's" letterset, 1 no. yellow vinyl "Golden Arch" applied externally to glazing, 1 no. externally illuminated projection sign, 6 no. parking signs and 1no. railing sign at 94 – 102 High Street, Rickmansworth.

Recommendation: that advertisement consent be granted subject to the standard condition.

The application was for advertisement consent for installation of 1 no. acrylic white externally illuminated ‘McDonald’s’ letterset, 1no. yellow vinyl ‘Golden Arch’ applied externally to glazing, 1 no. externally illuminated projection sign, 6 no. parking signs and 1 no. railing sign at 94-102 High Street, Rickmansworth.

Councillor Diana Barber of Batchworth Community Council spoke against the application.

Committee members asked questions on the details of the application which were responded to by officers.  The Committee’s discussions included the following:

·          The proposal was of a similar type to signage which was already used by other businesses on the High Street, both in terms of projection and illumination.  The lighting bar would face toward the building, so that officers did not consider that there would be any impact from light spill on amenity to neighbouring properties, the nearest of which was 15m away.

·          The design and letterset was tailored for Conservation Areas; an amendment had been sought by officers to reduce the proposed 500mm letterset to 300mm, which would be more consistent with lettersets used by other businesses on the High Street.

·          Hours of illumination could be conditioned.

·          The Conservation Officer had recommended that no other signage should be permitted on the glazing, and a Committee Member recommended that this should be conditioned.  Another Committee Member noted that this would be inconsistent with other businesses which did have other advertisements in their windows.

·          Given that the committee had resolved to defer the related full planning application to obtain further information, a Committee Member recommended that the advertisement consent application should also be deferred so that the two applications could be considered together at a future meeting. 

Councillor Lloyd proposed, and Councillor Drury seconded, deferral of the application.  On being put to the vote the proposal was agreed, the voting being 8 in favour and 2 against.

RESOLVED: that the application be deferred to allow for consideration alongside the related full planning application.