Layton Methodist Church, Westcliffe Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7DZ

Display of LED signage above church front door facing Westcliffe Drive following the removal of three existing signs (resubmission of application 20/0072)

Authority: Blackpool Borough Council
Appeal type: commercial · Commercial Appeal Service (CAS)
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: advertisement · Other minor developments
Inspector: Tweddle J

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the proposed digital advertisement on the amenity of the area, having regard to the locally listed status of the appeal building

What decided it

The proposed digital LED advertisement would appear as a prominent and discordant feature that would significantly harm the amenity of the area and the locally listed status of the building.

The social and financial benefits to the Church of modernising its advertising methods were outweighed by the significant harm to the amenity of the area and the heritage character of the locally listed building.

Framework references: 136

Plan policies cited: Policy CS7, Policy CS8, Policy LQ1, Policy LQ13, Policy BH3, Policy BH13

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

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