Illuminated rolling advertising sign in Tullamore under scrutiny

A referral has been made to An Bord Pleanala in relation to a commercial advertising sign in O'Connor Square, Tullamore.

The illuminated, rolling, digital sign is attached to a phone kiosk in the square and former town planner with Offaly County Council, Fergal McCabe has referred a declaration made by Offaly County Council that the sign is a development but is an exempted development.

Mr McCabe says: ''The Square is recognised as Tullamore’s principal civic space and contains the greatest concentration of protected structures in the town, including its oldest structure (1743) and its iconic Market House.''

Offaly County Council claim that the 1.50sqm sign is an exempted development as it is an ancillary item to the telephone kiosk. However, in the Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 under the heading 'Built Heritage' the council states: ''The use of electronic variable messaging signs commonly known as ''VMS signs'' shall be reserved strictly for use in road work activities, hazard information and or as part of an approved event traffic management plan. Advanced written consent of Offaly Council will be required prior to installation and usage of such signage.''

Mr McCabe also points to recent decisions by the local Planning Authority and An Bord Pleanala in which advertising signage was rejected in O'Connor Square on the grounds that it would result in ''visual clutter'' and detract from the character of a protected structure namely Woodchester House.

In addition an application for a change of use of the former Post Office which is also a protected structure was granted on condition that it excluded signage which was to be the subject of a separate application in the interests of ''visual amenity.''

An Bord Pleanala also deemed the removal by the Council of a raised kerb and wreath laying space which surrounded the nearby War Memorial (also a protected structure in O'Connor Square) was not an exempted development as claimed by the Council. Furthermore, an Architectural Heritage Impact Statement was not provided to justify the work. The raised kerb has never been reinstated.

As part of his referral Mr McCabe noted that An Bord Pleanala refused permission for a recent proposal for a VMS sign in Donnybrook, Dublin which had similar characteristics to that of the one in O'Connor Square.

An Taisce has supported Mr McCabe, stating: ''O’Connor Square, Tullamore is a notable historic public space of County Offaly and of the Midlands which survives in a relatively good state of preservation containing various historic buildings including the landmark mid-18th century Market House (Protected Structure). It is of concern to An Taisce that, more than two decades after introduction of the architectural heritage provisions of the Planning & Development Act 2000 (Part IV), O’Connor Square has yet to be designated a statutory Architectural Conservation Area (ACA). As part of the measures of Act, planning authorities are obliged to designate ACAs to protect the heritage of their jurisdiction and it is remiss of Offaly County Council not to have yet done so in this instance.

It is considered that modern digital advertising displays are not appropriate to architecturally and historically sensitive locations such as the subject site at O’Connor Square.''

Two sides of O'Connor Square consist of nine Protected Structures. The centre of the Square is occupied by the 1926 War Memorial, itself a Protected Structure of Regional Importance.

An Bord Pleanala will make known its decision later this year.