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The Planning Inspectorate ruled the boards, on the south side of Park Road, could be erected because the street scene is dominated by commercial development. There were similar signs on the site in the past but they were removed in 2022 and Dudley planners argued the scene had benefited from reduced advertising signage in recent years. In their report in the application, Dudley Council officers said: “The proposed advertisement would result in an over proliferation and cluttering of the street scene that would appear visually intrusive to the detriment of the visual amenity of the surrounding area.” The area under consideration, which is either side of the entrance to the Soccer Zone football and leisure centre, had been home to other display items after the previous hoardings were removed, including a twenty-foot inflatable gorilla. In a statement supporting the appeal, planning consultants Stantec UK said: “The appellant considers the council’s reason for refusal to be unjustified having not had proper regard to the appeal aite and the existing character of the surrounding area. “The appeal site itself is not subject to any statutory landscape or historic designations and is not located within a conservation area. “The council’s map identifies the appeal site falling within the green belt. “However, considering that the proposals fall wholly within previously developed land and there are various other existing signs, it is considered that the proposals would not have an impact on the purposes of the green belt.” In overturning the council’s refusal to allow the boards, planning inspector Andrew Boughton said: “Overall the proposal would not be incompatible with the character of the area and would not further detriment, neither cumulatively nor individually, the visual amenity of the location in which they would be set.”
