A national company that installed a “strident and crude” frontage to a listed building has been refused retrospective planning permission to retain the work.
Late last year pawnbroker Cash Generator opened a new Bradford city centre branch on the corner of Kirkgate and Bank Street in September.
The business is based in the ground floor of Grade II listed Pearl Assurance House, which dates back to the 1870s.
The company fitted bright blue and yellow signage on the property without listed building consent, or advertising consent.
After criticism of the work by Bradford Civic Society the company applied for retrospective permission to keep the unauthorised frontage.
But those plans have now been refused by Bradford Council.
Council Conservation Officer Jon Ackroyd heavily criticised the work, saying: “The size, projecting form, colour and internal illumination of the signs all combine to create a very strident and crude appearance which conflicts with the listed building.
“The effect has been further compounded by the painting of boarded pilasters, shopfronts and external shutter boxes in the same strident colour.
“The implemented signage causes immediate visual harm to the listed building and city centre conservation area environment.”
Refusing the retrospective application, planning officers said: “The front signage has harmed the character and significance of this Grade II listed building with the harm to this designated heritage asset not outweighed by any public benefits.”
After the plans were refused Si Cunningham, Chair of Bradford Civic Society, said: “I’m amazed that a company with a national profile and a number of branches would find it so difficult to accept that occupying a listed building within a conservation area brings certain responsibilities with it.
“People who I’ve spoken to in Bradford don’t have an issue with any business trying to make a go of it, but they would like to see the city’s unique heritage and character preserved.
“With our new Heritage Action Zone getting started, it’s a good time to be reminding building owners and occupiers about their planning obligations. Getting it right first time is much cheaper, and is of great benefit to everyone who uses the city centre.”
The unauthorised signage had even caught the attention of York based heritage campaign group the Ghost of William Etty, who described the work as “vandalism.”
One member, Gordon Campbell-Thomas, recently protested outside Cash Generator.
Mr Campbell-Thomas said “Our campaigns in York succeeded and now it seems that common sense has won out in Bradford as well, hooray for Bradford we wish you well.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service has contacted Cash Generator for a comment, but has yet to receive a response.
