Setback for Paddo’s battle of the billboards

A resident battling two huge LED billboards on one on Brisbane’s most charming character retail strips has had a setback in his fight to stop them.

Paddington residents protest against the LED billboard on Latrobe Tce. It has now been turned on and residents are considering their next step. Picture: AAP/Sarah Marshall

A Paddington resident has received legal advice a hoped-for judicial review of Council’s decision to approve two garish LED billboards might not succeed.

The blow came as one of the signs, on Latrobe Tce, was recently turned on.

But Paddington’s Angus McTavish said he and others opposed to the billboards had not given up and were still considering their options.

Documents obtained by Mr McTavish showed Council officers initially opposed the Latrobe Tce sign, and another on given Tce, saying they were out of character with the local Queenslander architecture.

But the documents showed that after a phone call to one of the proponents by a senior Council officer, the signs were approved for unknown reasons.

“I am so concerned about these proposals I commissioned an expert architect, who regularly provides reports on LED billboards, and paid for his report myself,’’ Mr McTavish said.

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“His conclusion that these billboards are out of character with the area is a vindication of what other residents have been saying.

“I have now formally made a request for Council’s statement of reasons for approving the signs.

Councillor Peter Matic, whose office is only a few hundred metres away from both billboards, said earlier this year he knew nothing about their approval until construction work began.

He said State Government legislation meant billboard applications were not subject to public notification or appeal and approvals were delegated to Council officers.

He has also confirmed he met with the proponent of the Latrobe Tce sign last year and told them it would not be something residents would support.

Cr Matic has since launched a review, halting further billboard approvals around Brisbane.

Labor MP for Cooper, Kate Jones, urged Council to overhaul its billboard rules.

“Local residents have already been let down by the approval of this billboard and now he’s (Cr Matic) dropped the ball on the review,’’ Ms Jones said.

“Brisbane City Council needs a clear policy about what kind of billboards they will allow, and where, to protect local residents and the value of their homes.

“Cr Matic needs to come clean about exactly what he’s done about these concerns.’’