Holyrood takes dim view of adverts plan

A COMPANY which wanted to place illuminated advertisements on a Portobello building has had its bid turned down by the Scottish Government.

Big Advert Ltd was told by the city council last summer that its plans for the six-metre signs were unacceptable, but appealed to Holyrood in the hope of getting that decision overturned.

However, planning reporter Philip Hutchinson backed the refusal of the application for a site just off Portobello High Street.

He said the signs would have had a particularly negative impact at night in the area, adding that if permission was granted it could allow other similar submissions to go through.

“Although precedent concerns are often overstated, this situation makes me particularly cautious about likely longer-term consequences if the appeal were to succeed,” he said.

“I fear this would not be the final proposal of this type, given the very obvious scope for repetition.”