COMMUNITY climate action group Otley 2030 has started a petition against a new planning application for a digital billboard on Westgate, Otley.

The group is supporting local residents to object to the application.

Wildstone, owners of outdoor media infrastructure, has submitted a planning application for a new digital billboard on land at 52 Westgate. This is to be situated less than quarter of a mile down the road from the billboard on Piper Lane that has already caused much distress to local residents. The deadline for submitting comments on this application is Wednesday, May 10th, 2023.

An Otley 2030 spokesperson said: “We are objecting to this inappropriate, unsociable and environmentally damaging application. Leeds City Council has declared a climate emergency and, in one year alone, an illuminated board like this may use as much energy as 37 UK homes. If this application were to go ahead it would make a mockery of Otley and Leeds’ climate commitments and, understandably, cause a lot of upset in our community.”

Otley 2030 is objecting to the planning application for a number of reasons saying:

  • The proposed billboard is in the Otley Conservation Area and thus completely out of character.
  • The billboard will be situated in a place where numerous roads, drives and car parks adjoin the main road. They say this increases the likelihood of an accident caused by a distracted driver.
  • It will be opposite a number of houses and flats, the residents of which have a right not to have their nights disrupted by the light generated by this installation.
  • The roads are a common, publicly-owned space that citizens should be free to walk, cycle or drive along without being bombarded by advertisements.
  • Otley Town Council, Leeds City Council, and the British government have all declared climate emergencies. A year of operation for one billboard may use as much energy as 37 UK homes.
  • One of these billboards has recently been installed on Piper Lane in Otley, opposite housing. Local residents were rightfully furious about this. Sadly their campaign to have it removed fell on deaf ears. The reaction from residents to a further billboard is likely to be similar.
  • Impact on wildlife - most birds migrate at night and can be drawn off course by artificial light. Artificial light may also alter songbird mating patterns. Otley Town Council has also recently declared a Biodiversity Emergency and commissioned a Biodiversity Audit, this development would fly in the face of that declaration.
  • Leeds City Council has recently gone to great efforts to change most street lamps in Otley to LED bulbs. One of the key benefits of this is reduced light pollution. This effort will all be for nothing in the areas close to the proposed billboards.
  • Has a proper visual impact assessment been carried out? When active, these structures are visible from a great distance.
  • Precedent - a similar application has recently been rejected in Bristol.
  • There is nothing in the planning application asking the applicant to declare their environmental credentials, or the source of the materials that will be used to create the billboard.
  • The applicant does highlight the environmentally destructive nature of traditional paper and paste billboards. This is not an argument for replacing them with something else damaging to the environment.

To make a comment on the planning application, search for 23/02287/ADV ‘One illuminated hoarding signage’ at leeds.gov.uk/planning

Readers can find support on how and where to submit a comment at www.otley2030.com

Otley 2030 is urging local residents to sign their petition at: https://tinyurl.com/Otleypetition

A Wildstone spokesperson said: “Wildstone is Europe’s leading owner of outdoor media infrastructure and we are committed to investing in communities across the country, including Otley.

“Our application proposes removing one existing billboard on this site and converting the other to digital – reducing the overall area of advertising.

“This will save paper and reduce carbon emissions from vehicle trips as new advertisements will not need to be physically updated every two weeks.

“Our digital displays are the most energy efficient in the market and will also use the latest technology to automatically adjust to changing light conditions - reducing light pollution.

“The content on our screens often promotes local businesses and projects and we look forward to engaging with Leeds City Council to ensure these benefits are delivered for the wider community.”