Ads must be removed from listed building - ruling

Unauthorised advertising banners which have been hanging from the facade of a Grade II listed building for about four years must be removed following a planning inspector's ruling.

Bradford Council had issued a notice to the owner of the former Great Horton Library, on Cross Lane, in March 2024 asking for the 14 adverts to be removed, but Uneekhomes Real Estate, based at the property, lodged an appeal meaning no action could be taken.

However, a government-appointed planning inspector has now dismissed the appeal, meaning the banners, in place since 2021, must be taken down.

In her judgement, Elizabeth Pleasant said the banners were "incongruous" on the building, which was constructed in 1912.

In its appeal, Uneekhomes had argued the banners were needed to "safeguard the windows from public damage".

"These banners serve as temporary protection until we can locate an affordable supplier to replace the current windows with identical ones," it said.

"The banners were also installed on the building to indicate its active use and prevent break-ins by demonstrating that the building is not abandoned."

But, in her judgement, Ms Pleasant questioned claims the banners were temporary, given they had been there since 2021.

"I am not persuaded the banners installed were the minimum necessary to achieve the aims of health, safety or preservation of the building," she said.

"While the banners are vibrant, they also appear incongruous on this historic building by reason of their scale, use of materials and advertisement content."

Earlier this year, the Local Democracy Reporting Service had asked the Planning Inspectorate why a decision on the appeal was taking so long.

The inspectorate said a "suitably qualified" person was needed to inspect listed buildings, and the earliest that someone appropriate could travel to Bradford was in December.

Ms Pleasant said the appellant had not attended the building for an arranged visit on 8 December and so she carried out an unaccompanied visit.

In her ruling, Ms Pleasant said: "The display of the 14 banner advertisements, the subject of the notice, was not so urgently necessary for health and safety, nor the minimum measures immediately necessary for the preservation of the building, that an application for listed building consent could not have been made beforehand."

Awarding the library building a Grade II listing in 2007, Historic England said it had "special architectural interest" as a public building designed for and by the local authority, which was Bradford Corporation at the time.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North