Illuminated shop frontage harming Nelson's conservation area, say planners

Applicant Shehraz Aktar is seeking retrospective advertisement consent from Pendle Council for the signage installed at Burger Stop and Chocstop in Manchester Road.

Mr Aktar is working with planning agent Claire Bradley, of Burnley-based Kirkwells.

According to the planning application, the shop front was changed in the summer of 2021. One image shows a previous front for the Taste of India business. A planning application was submitted in August 2022.

But the advertisement planning application has been brought back to the borough’s Nelson, Brierfield & Reedley Area Committee because the agent has not responded to requests to reduce the light impact, according to a report for councillors.

The shop front has already been replaced so the application is classed as retrospective. Pendle planning officers are advising councillors to refuse it.

In a written objection included in a report to councillors, one neighbour has stated: “Because of the position of my house I am directly and adversely affected by the brightness of the pink illuminated fascia above the shop front.

“Chocstop does not need to be so fiercely illuminated because it cannot be seen by people who are approaching from left or right on Manchester Road. Simple, low-level lighting would still tell the public the shop name.”

A planning report to councillors on the Nelson committee states: “The area has a large array of different shop fronts with different forms of illumination. These are predominantly back-lit without individual letters illuminated. The row on which this shop front sits has different shop fronts but does not have brightly illuminated adverts.

“The council recognises the essential commercial function of advertisements. However, they can have a significant effect on the character or appearance of an individual building or an area, and can detract from these if not considered carefully.

“Advertisements should not adversely affect the architectural character of buildings and areas . They should be designed to enhance the appearance of street scenes. The council’s Design Principles supplementary planning document has guidance on shop front advertisements.

“In this case, the advert is bright and would stand-out significantly from the remainder of the frontage. It is bright, although this could be controlled by conditions. A more modest level of lighting and a different colour scheme may be appropriate.

“Advertisements should be of a high standard of design which relates architecturally with the building upon which they are fixed. They should be sympathetic to the surrounding locality and street scene, and be finished or coloured carefully without detriment to the overall street scene.

“The proposed advertisement would be garish and jar with the surrounding street scene. It would result in a shop front advertisement which does not consider the context within which it is located and would harm the character and appearance of the conservation area.”