The hoarding sign occupies a prominent forward position adjacent to Charnwood Road. It is the opinion of the local planning authority that the sign, by reason of its size and location, appears as an unduly conspicuous and incongruous feature within the street scene. For this reason, the local planning authority considers that the sign is detrimental to visual amenity and, thus, contrary to advice contained in PPG19 Outdoor Advertisement Control and the intentions of Policies EV/11 and EV/14 of the Borough of Charnwood Local Plan. INFORMATIVE The applicant is advised that the Borough Council is considering prosecution proceedings in respect of the unlawful display of the three signs that are the subject of this refusal notice, together with the tall sign in the car park opposite which is considered to have a similar adverse impact on the appearance and character of the locality.

It is the opinion of the local planning authority that, by reason of their siting, height, size, and design, the two higher level signs are harmful to the character and appearance of the building and surrounding area. It is considered that they are poorly related to the design of the building and, by adding to other signage, they give rise to an unattractive clutter of signs, to the detriment of the visual amenities of the street scene, which is partly residential in character. As such, the display of the signs is contrary to guidance in PPG19 Outdoor Advertisement Control and the intentions of Policies EV/11, EV/12 and EV/14 of the Borough of Charnwood Local Plan.