An Bord Pleanála REFUSE McDonald's application for 12 metre sign off the M9 in Carlow
McDonald's appealed Carlow County Council's decision to refuse planning permission
An Bord Pleanála has REFUSED McDonald's application for a 12 metre high sign off the M9 in Carlow after an appeal.
Carlow County Council refused the fast-food chain's planning application in November of last year for an illuminated sign with a height of 12 metres off the M9.
McDonald's Restaurants of Ireland Ltd had applied to the Council for "the provision of an internally illuminated totem sign with a total height of 12 metres including a base pole of 8.9 metres and signage with a maximum height of 3.087 metres".
The sign would have been at Junction 5 of the M9 Motorway, Rathcrogue, Wexford Road, Carlow.
The company appealed the decision to ABP who have also now refused the application.
The Board decided to refuse the permission and stated: "It is considered that the proposed totem sign would be visually obtrusive and, in conjunction with the existing signage on these premises, would seriously injure the visual amenities of the area and be contrary to the provisions of the current Development Plan for the area in relation to advertising, which provisions are considered to be reasonable.
"The proposed development would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area."
They added: "Having regard to the level of existing and permitted signage in the vicinity of the site, it is considered that the proposed development would lead to the proliferation of signage in the area, which would represent an unacceptable visual intrusion and cause distraction to motorists."
"It is considered, therefore, that the proposed sign located at a roundabout junction serving the M9 and N80 roads, would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard, would be visually intrusive and seriously injure the amenities of the area, would set an undesirable precedent for future development of this kind and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area," the Board said.