Huge advertising hoarding, Borough High Street

Does anyone know about this huge illuminated advertising monstrosity which appeared the end of last year next to Ruse Pub. Apparently word is it didn't have planning permission.
I walked past today and it looks like it has some planning info hanging underneath it but I couldn't read it as there was a huge bin in the way.
I have looked online but cannot see anything on the Southwark site relating to it.

Yep a gross intrusion into the envoronment. Not unlike the rash of smaller advertising hoardings that have appeared on the pavements and the explosion in the number of telephone boxes that are very obviously there as an excuse to have even more advertising hoardings. I wonder if the planners who allow the adverts in via this loophole actully consider wherther in this age of the mobile phone there is any demand for telephone boxes every few hundred yards or whether they ever check to see if these telephones acually are operational (last time I looked none of the ones I checked actually worked).

I doubt that they care, as you say they're simply exploiting a loophole for the sake of advertising hoardings. I did enjoy the irony of seeing a man standing inside one of them using his mobile phone, sheltering from the wind that howls past the Bankside development on Southwark St.

As discussed here the phone boxes need little permission and provide no financial benefit to anyone other than their owners. To have so many on this section of Borough High Street is clearly unnecessary.

The advertising hoarding at the end of Trinity Street breached its planning consent, but Southwark say enforcement would be too arduous.

boroughbloke wrote:

Yep a gross intrusion into the envoronment. Not unlike the rash of smaller advertising hoardings that have appeared on the pavements and the explosion in the number of telephone boxes that are very obviously there as an excuse to have even more advertising hoardings. I wonder if the planners who allow the adverts in via this loophole actully consider wherther in this age of the mobile phone there is any demand for telephone boxes every few hundred yards or whether they ever check to see if these telephones acually are operational (last time I looked none of the ones I checked actually worked).

I complained to the planning department about the small advertising boards that have sprung up around Borough High Street, only to be told that as long as they were not blocking the pavement/pedestrian flow, no enforcement action would be taken. They were not concerned about them being in a conservation area despite the council's website saying
"Advertisements in conservation areas should preserve and enhance the character of the area. Greater standards and controls will be applied to protect the character of the area when dealing with proposed advertisements."

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/511/conservation_areas/2103/minor_alterations_and_additions

Application for advertisement consent now submitted:
http://planningonline.southwark.gov.uk/AcolNetCGI.exe?ACTION=UNWRAP&RIPNAME=Root.PgeResultDetail&TheSystemkey=9548964

We are currently looking into this and are awaiting replies from local Councillors to some questions.

We also intend to write to the person named in the planning application inviting him to speak to local residents and explain why this sign was put up, without planning permission or consultation with residents of Redman House.

I will keep you advised of any developments.

Andy Ross
Chair Lant and Bittern TRA

The Lant & Bittern TRA has submitted a formal objection to this advertising sign, and is also organising a petition against it. Please PM me if you wish to sign the petition.

The council is currently running consultations, and the closing date is 9th May.

The officer is Daniel Davies.

You can raise objections by emailing [email protected]

or by post to
Planning Division
Development Management
5th floor-Hub 2
PO BOX 64529
London SE1 5LX

Planning permission has been refused.
The decision notice and the report on the application can be viewed on the Council's web site:
http://planningonline.southwark.gov.uk/DocsOnline/Documents/297988_1.pdf

Of course, an appeal can be made, and what about enforcement?
When might it be removed, I wonder.

Well at least it's been refused - that's a good start!