PLANS for a futuristic building at Chiswick Roundabout, dubbed 'The Octopus', have been rejected over fears it would distract drivers and cause them to crash.

Councillors turned down proposals for the 170ft five-story office block by the M4 at last Wednesday's (March 17) meeting of the sustainable development committee (SDC).

Developers London & Bath wanted to use the side of the building as a giant electronic advertising hoarding, bringing in potentially hundreds of thousands of pounds in revenue.

But councillors were concerned moving images on the LED display could lead to pile-ups on the busy road.
Councillor Sheila O'Reilly, chairman of the SDC, said: "It's a brilliant concept apart from the advertising. It's too dangerous to put up hi-tech advertising in your face when you're driving along the elevated section of the M4 because. You really need your wits about you and the fewer distractions the better."

The proposed building was designed by Ken Shuttleworth, the renowned architect behind schemes including London's 'Gherkin' and the Millennium Bridge. It would have contained 25,000 square feet of office space.

London & Bath's managing director Kim Gottlieb said: "Safety is a serious issue and we provided expert evidence to show this wasn't a problem.

"We don't blame the councillors for making the decision but feel they were misled by officer, who failed to look at things in an objective and impartial manner."

This is not the first time advertising at the roundabout has sparked controversy. In 2006, a giant billboard for lingerie firm Pretty Polly, featuring a partially-clad Polish supermodel, sparked complaints from people who said it was distracting drivers.