All Saints, 1 St Lawrence Street, City Centre, Bath

Bath is recognised as a low-illuminated city in which the maintained low levels of lighting complement the historic character and appearance of the city, and create a distinctive evening and night-time atmosphere. The increased provision of independent retail signage illumination would result in the cumulative increase of lightspill, sky glow, and over-illumination to the detriment of the visual amenities of the Bath City-Wide Conservation Area, World Heritage Site Landscape setting, and adjoining AONB. Therefore, the principle of, and precedent for illuminated signage should be resisted by the Local Planning Authority.

We recognise that the Southgate area has a more distinct, contemporary shop frontage treatment in contrast with the historic city centre. There is a planning history within the Southgate district of an increasing number of permissions granted for illuminated signage within this area, on the grounds that the use of illuminated signage within this area has already been established and is considered to form part of the signage ‘typology’ for this localised area. Nonetheless, we continue to reiterate that Southgate should remain a coherent extension to the historic city core to the north, and the use of excessive illumination is an increasingly jarring addition that serves to further disassociate the Southgate shopping district from its surroundings.

This signage as proposed is therefore contrary to the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, section 16 of the NPPF, and Policies B1, B4, BD1, CP6, D1, D2, D8, D9, and HE1 of the Core Strategy and Placemaking Plan, and this application should be withdrawn or refused.