PLANNERS have rejected a bid by McDonald’s Restaurants to install a new Totem sign advertising their Birchwood Drive Thru’ restaurant.
Warrington Borough Council planners ruled that the proposed advertisement, by virtue of its location, scale and siting on land Adjacent To The Peacock Public House Benson Road, Birchwood, would result in an unacceptable cumulative impact that would appear incongruous and create a cluttered appearance on a prominent and visible junction.
The proposal would therefore have an unacceptable and detrimental impact on the visual amenity of the area, contrary to Policies CS1 and QE7 of the Warrington Local Plan and guidance contained within Warrington’s Design & Construction SPD
The site is a section of grassed amenity space at the junction of Benson Road with Dewhurst Road fronting directly onto the highway, occupying a visible location where Benson Road is one of the primary entranceways to Birchwood Shopping Centre and car parking areas. The site is adjacent to the Peacock Public House and its outdoor children’s play area.
McDonald’s was seeking advertisement Consent for a 7m high freestanding internally illuminated Totem to be situated on the corner of Benson Road adjacent to an existing Monolith sign which advertises the Birchwood Shopping Centre.
The proposed Totem would be composed of a composite aluminum post to give a“timber” effect and will contain three two-side, separate rectangular signs which would be 1.44m wide and of various heights with the largest sign containing the McDonald’s Restaurant golden “M” set on a green background, at the top of the Totem. The lower sign would advertise a “drive-thru” at the Restaurant.
Whilst it is acknowledged that the proposal would be situated in a busy and well-lit urban area, the addition of the proposal will result in an accumulation of signage at this prominent roadside location, will compete with and detract from the “Birchwood” sign, and will result in obtrusive visual clutter and an unacceptable cumulative impact which unduly detracts from the visual amenity of the street scene and as such conflicts with Policy QE 7 of the Local Plan.
The Birchwood Drive Thru’
