Town-centre display boards approved despite brightness concerns

Nicholas Thomas, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans for new digital advertising boards have been approved for prominent locations in a south Wales town, despite concerns about their brightness distracting drivers.

If installed, the ‘totems’ will stand nine feet tall and contain 75-inch digital screens.

Caerphilly County Borough Council has proposed installing them in Lowry Plaza, Bargoed; near the Asda supermarket in Blackwood; and in Tredegar Street, Risca.

Planning officers are yet to make a decision on a fourth location at The Twyn, in Caerphilly town, however.

In Bargoed, the proposals drew the support of ward councillor Dawn Ingram-Jones, who said the project represented “a fantastic opportunity for community engagement and the possibility of future revenue”.

But in Risca, the plans received one objection relating to pedestrian safety concerns.

“The objector stated the location of the totem [in] an area with no street parking makes it a safe area to cross the street, especially as this crossing is directly opposite Tredegar Grounds,” the council planners said in their report.

But they noted “no objection was received in this regard by the council’s transportation engineering manager”.

“It is judged that the totem’s proposed position is sufficiently setback to allow for the safe use of the informal crossing,” they added.

The objector also claimed “bright visuals may lead to driver distraction”.

In response, the planners said senior officers had recommended the brightness of the displays should be limited.

The plans for a ‘totem’ in Blackwood did not receive any objections.

Each of the three displays was approved, subject to several conditions including limits on brightness.

The adverts displayed on the boards must also avoid moving images or animations, any images that resemble road signs and traffic signals, or any visual effects between successive displays.