Digital billboard near Cork's Kent Station would 'increase traffic accident risk'

JCDecaux claimed that by removing the existing billboards and replacing it with this digital one, it would “significantly increase...the overall appearance” near Kent Station. Picture: Larry Cummins

A new digital billboard near Kent Station in Cork has been refused planning as it would be a “distraction for road users” and would “increase the risk of traffic accidents”.

Advertising firm JCDecaux had applied to Cork City Council for permission for the development on the Lower Glanmire Road, which would have seen them decommission existing billboards on the road with the digital advertising display to replace it.

In a planning statement on the firm’s behalf, it said that its digital displays are “premium quality” and would represent a “significant visual improvement on the existing structure, which has remained in situ for several decades”.

“In the interest of sustainable operation and energy efficiency, JCDecaux is proposing a condition providing a curfew between 2am and 6am,” it said. “This is considered a significant planning gain as the existing display remains illuminated throughout the night.” 

It claimed that by removing the existing billboards and replacing it with this digital one, it would “significantly increase the quality of the advertising display in situ at this location and the overall appearance” of the junction of Lower Glanmire Road and Water Street.

It also included examples of similar billboards it has deployed in areas of Dublin.

Issues around the increasing number of digital billboards in Dublin have cropped up on several occasions at the planning stage, such as the Ambassador Theatre, where digital signage was refused because the planning board said it would set an “undesirable precedent” for similar development.

In this case, a resident whose property is to the rear of the existing advertising board lodged a formal objection with the council.

“The removal or decommissioning of this [existing] structure without specified replacement or securing measures poses a significant risk to the safety and security of my private property as the advertising currently provides the boundary to the main street,” the resident said.

In its decision, Cork City Council gave two reasons to refuse planning.

It said the applicant had failed to satisfactorily demonstrate that a digital sign of the scale proposed would “not present a negative impact on the visual and residential amenities of the area and a distraction to road users”.

It would set an “undesirable precedent for other similar proposals,” the council said, and would contravene the land zoning objective.

Furthermore, it added: “The site of the proposed digital advertising display is at [a] prominent location on a heavily trafficked junction on the national primary road N8.

“At this location, the Lower Glanmire Road and Water Street form a busy junction with one-way traffic arrangements, traffic changing lanes and merging and in addition to vehicular cross junction movements, this junction is also heavily used by pedestrians and cyclists.

“It is considered that the proposed development, by reason of nature and type, size and location, would represent a distraction for road users travelling through the junction and would increase the risk of traffic accidents and thereby endangering public safety by reason of traffic hazard.” 

 The case can still be appealed to An Coimisiún Pleanála following Cork City Council's decision.