Sunderland: Easington Lane digital ad screen blocked over fears it would distract drivers and be an eyesore

Sunderland City Council’s planning department has refused an application for 171 High Street in the Easington Lane area.

The building is occupied by a hot food takeaway and sits near the roundabout connecting High Street and Elemore Lane.

Applicant Wildstone Estates Limited applied for permission earlier this year to erect an “internally illuminated digital poster sign” on the building’s gable end.

There was no advertising sign on the building at the time of the application but developers said the site historically had a traditional “poster sign” for around a decade.

A covering letter said the proposal was part of “a nationwide project to upgrade traditional advertising hoardings to a modern digital format” and that the Easington Lane site was “an acceptable location for advertising in principle”.

Plans described the digital sign as a “wall-mounted D-Poster display” measuring “6m(w) x 3m(h)” which would be positioned 2.7m above ground “displaying multiple static advertisements on rotation”.

It was noted that D-Poster panels are “high-quality ultra-thin displays that offer a high level of control over brightness and reduced energy consumption”, as well as having the ability to “mimic a traditional 48 sheet poster during the day.”

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During a council consultation exercise on the plan, there was an objection from Hetton Town Council over “light pollution, distraction to highways users, and a design unsympathetic to surroundings.”

After considering the planning application and assessing it against planning policies, Sunderland City Council’s planning department refused it on June 20, 2025.

Council planners, in a decision report, cited two reasons for refusal, namely visual impact and highway safety.

The council decision report said that the sign’s “design, size and siting would appear extremely prominent in this location and would introduce a highly visible and incongruous feature into the street scene to the detriment of the visual amenity of the area”.

It was argued that the proposed digital display “does not relate well to the surrounding buildings and would result in a visually obtrusive and over dominant element within the streetscene, to the detriment of the visual amenity of the area, particularly as there are residential [properties] situated within proximity to the proposed advertisement”.

The council’s future transport team also objected to the proposed signage “based on its nature and its location at the roundabout junction” and the objection said the sign would be “likely to cause a distraction to motorists with increased risk of collision”.

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The council decision report adds: “The proposed internally illuminated sign by virtue of its size, siting and illumination will appear as a highly prominent feature within the streetscene, in close proximity to a busy road junction, which will prove detrimental to highway safety.”

Developers previously argued the proposals would not impact nearby residential properties due to the “orientation of the proposed display, the illumination control as proposed, the street lighting in the vicinity and highways in between”.

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Those behind the scheme noted the proposed location of the digital advert was “uncomplicated” and that “drivers should be able to navigate with ease” and “easily assimilate the information on the display”, given its “long-range visibility”.

Developers also said that “proposed conditions to control the luminance of the screens and the operation of the digital screens will ensure that there is no adverse impact on amenity or road safety.”

The applicant has the right to challenge the council’s refusal decision by lodging an appeal with the Secretary of State.

For more information on the plans, visit the council’s planning portal website and search reference: 25/00763/ADV