Gary's views

Gary's weekly views

Each week an article by Gary has appeared in the Plympton Plymstock and Ivybridge News in South West Devon. The articles are published here

ADVERTISING HOARDINGS

The best thing about my job is the rich variety of things that come across my desk, both local and national. At a time when we are all exercised by serious international events that could end up changing our world, nonetheless significant local issues clamour for equal attention; the negative impact on existing communities of the power station and new town to name but two.

But I would like to raise a concern of a different order that is beginning to drive me potty: the spread of advertising hoardings, some of them very tacky, on the major entrances into Plymouth, especially at Marsh Mills.

Many of them are illegal. The law states that planning permission must be granted for all static adverts, although not for mobile ones. This is why we often see cars and vans parked with huge notices on their roofs, announcing undreamed of bargains. We also see purpose designed vehicles flaunting their wares as they trundle around our roads and occasionally parking up: fair enough.

But most of those billboards now sprouting around the entrances to Plympton and Plymstock are static. They are on legs. They are about as mobile as I would be on the rugby field these days. They are clearly in contravention of the rules.
Why does it matter? It matters because they look tacky – not just my opinion, but a view shared by several of you who have written over the months expressing your concern. But it’s more serious than that. I have written before about the “broken windows” theory from the USA. Once an area starts to go downhill (allowing broken windows to remain unmended) it attracts further deterioration. Litter and graffiti follow, then more vandalism and crime and so on. If we allow these unlawful displays to remain it could easily encourage a further deterioration in the visual quality of our location.

I have raised this three times with the city council, but they are either unwilling or unable to take action. It is, I’m afraid a further reminder that although progress is being made in some departments, we still have to suffer a poor local authority.

I spoke recently to a local business that runs legitimate mobile display vans. In Exeter if these vans even park up for longer than they should the council take robust action. In Plymouth flagrant breaches of the law seem to be permitted. Not good enough.

posted by Nigel on Friday, July 28, 2006