“Poor quality” advertisements can distract attention from some of Bradford’s most attractive buildings – a Conservation Officer has warned.
Jon Ackroyd, Bradford Council Conservation Officer, was commenting on an application to cover a mural in Bradford city centre with a large advertisement.
The mural on James Gate, John Street, was painted in 2020 by London-based street artist Mr Cenz. It is already partly covered by an advert for Bismillah Accessories – the business based in the building.
A planning application to replace this advertisement with a much bigger one, measuring six metres by three metres, was recently submitted by Shakeel Faquir of Wilson Building Projects.
A decision on the application has yet to be made, but five people have objected, and Mr Ackroyd has raised serious concerns about the proposal.
He said although the building is not listed, it is a “key building” in the city centre.
Referring to the application, he said: “The elevation has a large and well executed mural which enlivens the otherwise blank gable and contributes positively to the urban streetscape and the character of the conservation area.
“There is an existing banner on this elevation which clutters the elevation.
“A larger banner would be incongruous and would cause harm to the conservation area environment.
“Such poor quality adverts introduce clutter and distract attention from the quality of the built environment.”
A decision on the application is expected next month.
