ILLUMINATED adverts are to light up Brentford’s skies, but the news has cast a dark shadow across the mood of residents who have labelled the move a ‘black day’ for the town.
Plans for adverts on top of Boulton House, one of six 23-storey tower blocks in Green Dragon Lane, were given the green light last week despite widespread opposition.
The applicant was ad firm Bohn Associates, and there are now expected to be further applications to place similar LED adverts on four of the remaining towers.
Brentford Community Council, West Chiswick & Gunnersbury Society, English Heritage and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, were among those objecting to the proposals.
They warned the ‘inappropriate’ advertising could set back Brentford’s redevelopment and even threaten Kew Gardens’ treasured World Heritage status.
Proposals for the signs, which would be up to 7.5 metres high and 18 metres wide, were approved by councillors at a meeting on Thursday, June 14, of the sustainable development committee, despite officers recommending their refusal.
Hounslow Council claimed the signs, on the west side of the roof, would bring in money for residents of the Brentford Towers estate and other parts of the borough. However, it was unable to put a figure on this.
No date was mentioned for when the first billboard would be in place, but if it is before the Olympic games begin then advertisers can be sure of a significant increase of passing traffic as people use the M4 to reach the capital’s venues.
Marie Rabouhans, vice-chairman of West Chiswick & Gunnersbury Society, said she was disgusted by the idea of seeing Brentford ‘lit up like a brothel’.
“This seems so short-sighted. They’re trying to regenerate Brentford, which has so many good things going for it, and they’re prepared to put that at risk in exchange for a bit of money from advertising,” she added.
Denis Browne, chairman of Brentford Community Council’s planning consultative committee, said the planned adverts were all about money and would ‘debase’ Brentford.
“UNESCO has already withdrawn certification for World Heritage sites in other countries over similar planning decisions and we fear the same could happen to Kew,” he added.
Council officers themselves warned that placing adverts on the 65m tall tower would have an ‘unacceptable’ impact on Brentford’s image. The application was also opposed by Brentford town centre manager Patricia Huertas.
However, councillors voted six to five in favour of the application, pointing out that the M4 corridor was already ‘strung with many illuminated hoardings’ and the sign would be facing away from Kew Gardens.
Tim Entwisle, Kew’s head of horticulture and conservation, said: “Although the Green Dragon towers are prominent from a number of points within the gardens, they are currently muted in appearance.
“The addition of large, coloured advertising signs will only increase their visibility and make them more intrusive on the visitor experience. The advertisements will be illuminated and as a result they will be visible at all times of the day.”
