3169/24
The proposed development consists of the replacement of the existing light box advertising sign (3m high by 2.00m wide by 600mm deep) at first floor level at 51 Grafton Street, Dublin 2, with an LED digital display sign (3m high by 2.00m wide by 150mm deep) which will carry a series of alternating static advertisements (6 per minute). If granted, the permission would be on the basis of decommissioning , in line with the outdoor advertising policy of Dublin City Council, approved "Tesco Finest" outdoor signage located at the upper floors of this building together with it ancillary strip lighting on the surrounds and spot lighting at parapet level.
Core Refusal Reason
The replacement of a static lightbox with a digitised LED sign would result in an undue negative impact on the visual amenity of the Grafton Street and Environs Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) and would set an undesirable precedent for similar developments, contrary to the Dublin City Development Plan 2022-2028.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The proposed LED digital sign is materially different from the existing lightbox and represents a more intensive form of advertising that is explicitly discouraged by the policy framework for this sensitive historical location.
- Granting permission would create an undesirable precedent for the conversion of traditional signs to digital displays within an Architectural Conservation Area, thereby injuring the established visual amenities of the area.
- The development is inconsistent with Policy BHA7 concerning the protection of ACAs and fails to comply with the Scheme of Special Planning Control for Grafton Street and Environs.
Cited Policies (CDP)
Decision Document Summary
This report examines an appeal by Brightside Media Limited against Dublin City Council's refusal to replace a first-floor lightbox advertising sign at 51 Grafton Street with a new LED digital display. The subject building is a prominent corner property at the intersection with St. Stephen's Green, listed on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) with a Regional rating. The site is located within a highly sensitive planning context, including the Grafton Street Architectural Cons...PDF Document Missing
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