Brentford-based JCDecaux UK Limited have applied for permission to erect a freestanding steel and aluminium ‘Forum Display Structure’ on George Street for one year (Ref. 15/00669/ADV).
If approved, the horrible great lump would stand outside No. 71 (the Nationwide Building Society on the north-west corner with Frederick Street).
It would entertain passers-by with a digital 84” screen facing east and an LED backlit panel facing west. The entire structure would measure 9’8” high by 4’4” wide.
Spurtle thinks this is a terrible idea and urges readers to object by 31 March. If you live in Ward 11 (City Centre), you might also consider contacting one or more of your local councillors; Cllr Joanna Mowat, for example, who sits on the Development Management Subcommittee.
What’s wrong with it?
Not only would the structure add further intrusive clutter to the Edinburgh World Heritage Site, but it would risk complicating the Council’s George Street experiment at a point when the full results have not yet been gathered, collated and properly considered.
It could also give the impression of undermining CEC’s Public Space Manifesto before it has even got going.
Aside from any aesthetic considerations, there are also practical concerns. The structure would obscure/distract from road users’ view of pedestrians and pedestrians’ view of road users close to the busy pedestrian crossing here.
And from past experience of Forrest’s enormous display at Haddington Place, we are also aware of the difficulty that can be had in getting remote controllers of these devices to maintain the brightness and frequency of images according to any previously agreed criteria.
In sum, it looks to us like the fat end of an even fatter wedge. Stop this ugly giant now before the whole city centre is covered in them.
Got a view? Tell us at spurtle@hotmail.co.uk and @theSpurtle and Facebook
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@theSpurtle Tried to resist the horrible great lump (George St signs) but comments seem to be closed? http://broughtonspurtle.org.uk/news/resist-horrible-great-lump …
@ante_social Planning officer says deadline 31 March. Website says passed. Have alerted CEC and await result. Suggest you phone too.
@theSpurtle Care to share the number? Other avid readers may wish to get on the bell too.
Tel. 200 2000, ask for Planning. Then quote Ref. 15/00669/ADV.
@theSpurtle @ante_social You might get a warmer reception on 529 3550... The other one is for reporting emergencies ;-))
New Town Flâneur @NewTownFlaneur
@NTCleanStreets @theSpurtle @ante_social If a Forum Display Structure doesn't constitute an emergency, I don't know what does.
NewTownCleanStreets @NTCleanStreets
@NewTownFlaneur @theSpurtle @ante_social I did think that. Perhaps the switchboard is being jammed as we speak...
New Town Flâneur @NewTownFlaneur
@NTCleanStreets @theSpurtle @ante_social Anyway, our Councillors have already examined it, & they seem enthusiastic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
UPDATE
An official writes: 'The reason you cannot leave comments on the portal is because it counts the 21 days from the validation date, which in this case is the 18 February 2015. I have noted that the application also did not appear on the weekly list until the 10th March 2015. Given the delay in the application appearing on the weekly list I am happy to allow the period for representation to be extended to the 31st March. If you wish to make comments then please e-mail them direct to me and I will register them onto the system.' We therefore recommend that anyone wishing to object to the HGL should email Senior Planning Office Lynsey Townsend directly ( Lynsey.Townsend@edinburgh.gov.uk ) before 31st March, quoting Planning Application Ref. 15/00669/ADV.
@fountainbridge noted 2wks ago that applications were added to wkly lists retrospectively. Big problem if reduces obj'ctn window @theSpurtle
@fountainbridge @NTCleanStreets @planningedin @theSpurtle is a further attack on our 'democratic' planning system @PlanDemoc
@theSpurtle be great if @planningedin updated the webpage to alert folks to this possibility? today it said:
@theSpurtle dear god.....
Email from David Jackson Young: Quite apart from the pros and cons of this particular application, it does seem truly scandalous that the whole planning process can be distorted / undermined by systems which don't seem to be fit for purpose - and worse still that senior CEC officials appear to be so relaxed about this state of affairs. What else is slipping through the net?
@CityCycling @NTCleanStreets @planningedin @theSpurtle @PlanDemoc seen new apps on 3 week old lists, some are outside objection period
@fountainbridge hi. thanks. have written to cooncil. @theSpurtle @NTCleanStreets @planningedin @PlanDemoc