Two internally illuminated digital media displays proposed at Tibbets Corner


Image: Tibbets Corner - sabre-roads

An application has been made for two hoardings for the underpass at Tibbets Corner on the A3 underpass for a twenty five year period. Due to their location it will not have been necessary - according to existing Planning Regulations - to consult ‘widely' as there are no immediate neighbours.

The planning application is for a digital media display (10.4m x 2.4m) with associated logo box (1.5m x 0.5m) on the northeast (East Hill) and southwest (Kingston Road) sides of
the A3 underpass. Full details can be found on the council planning website - ref 2019/0685.

Local resident Amanda Benzecry, who led a campaign against the hoardings at Rosslyn Park told this website, 'And in this case as there are no residential properties affected nobody will have known about the screens - and they have only just come to my attention. Apparently there are six more screens in the pipeline as part of an initiative by Tfl/Wildtsone Planning and WBC – I am trying to find out the exact location under FOI'.


Similar ad hoardings at Rosslyn Park RFC

Residents have objected to the hoardings due to their size, light pollution: 'These kind of enormous digital screens are a blight on the landscape. They are ugly, distracting and an insult to visual amenity.'

The ecology report of the impact of the lit boards has raised some concerns of the 'section of Putney Heath found to the south of screen 1 may however stand to be impacted, notably
through potential disturbance to foraging and commuting bats'. It recommends that the following phase 2 surveys:
• Bat emergence/re-entry surveys of moderate or high value trees; and
• Bat activity surveys to assess levels of activity at site. Most importantly levels of foraging in
the open grassland habitat to the south of screen 1 and commuting activity between the two
areas of heath on either side of the A3 should be assessed.

The reports states: 'The scale of predicted impact would be identified by these surveys, but it should be possible to mitigate impacts upon bats by following guidance provided by the Institute of Lighting Engineers and Bat Conservation Trust1, as well as best practice described in Stone (2013)2'.

A spokesperson for the council commented: 'The council does not own this land and has not submitted this planning application. Our planning committee will be considering the application in due course and will take on board all the views that are sent to us, both from those people in favour and those against, before reaching a decision.”

‘TakeDownTheAds' is running a petition directed at Michael Gove trying to draw attention to the issue of this type of screen on a national basis.

March 21, 2019