Signage at Tesco’s latest Isle of Wight venture has been refused due to one sign being too tall.
In the run-up to the opening of its new Freshwater store, taking over the Southern Co-Operative site, the supermarket giant submitted plans to install signs on the building, around the car park and on the roadside.
However, one sign has thrown a spanner into the works and halted plans progressing, as the Isle of Wight Council’s planning department deemed it would dominate the Afton Road street scene.
Taller than Co-op signage
Sitting on the edge of the road, a gantry sign was proposed, standing 5.7 metres high and internally illuminated.
The current sign, advertising the Co-op store, which is set to close later this year, stands at 4.3 metres — 1.4 metres smaller than the proposed Tesco sign — and only lit up when the store was open.
AONB: Unnecessary light pollution
One objector commented on the application, saying the sign was excessively large and visually intrusive.
They said the sign, in itself, was unnecessary as the store would not be overlooked by any passing motorist or pedestrian.
The Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) partnership said the sign would cause unnecessary light pollution and impact the special qualities of the nearby AONB.
Signage ‘far more prominent and urbanising’
The Co-op’s signage, the partnership said, had been designed to be muted and blend into the natural environment whereas the height, colours and extent of the Tesco signs were ‘far more prominent and urbanising’.
In their planning report, council officers said the majority of signage would be of appropriate design, but had significant concerns over the gantry sign.
‘Excessive in height’
Officers agreed the sign was excessive in height, with its large dimensions appearing incongruous and out of character.
The issues with the one sign led to the rejection of all the other new ones on-site, as part of the same application.
Tesco is set to take over the store in autumn this year when the sale is finalised.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is part of. Read here to find about more about how that scheme works on the Island. Some alterations and additions may have been made by News OnTheWight. Ed
Image: talk2santosh under CC BY 2.0
