Petrol Station Combe Down Express, 100 Midford Road, Odd Down

Whilst we appreciate the applicant’s desire to advertise their premises, we continue to resist the unnecessary use of illuminated signs. The amount and position of this form of illuminated advertising will add to light levels in the World Heritage Site and conservation area. Bath is a low-illuminated historic city and we seek to maintain this character. Street lighting and light spill from general internal lighting from within the building should be sufficient to illuminate signs. However, we do welcome the ‘tidying’ of the pylons to remove the scattered manifestations.

The means of illumination, would neither preserve nor and enhance the character and appearance of conservation area, would be detrimental to the visual amenity of the street scene, and would detract from the special qualities of the World Heritage Site. The scheme would be contrary to Section 16 (Conserving and enhancing the historic environment) of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), policies; B1 and CP6 of the B&NES Core Strategy and saved polices; D4, BH6 and BH17 of the B&NES Local Plan. We would therefore recommend that the application be refused.