The eyesore coming to one of our most charming streets

It would fit right in at Las Vegas, but locals and a former tourism minister are livid at a billboard planned for one of Brisbane’s most scenic retail strips. Incredibly, the office of the local Councillor – less than 200m away – told one resident they knew nothing about it.

Paddington residents and local politicians say a giant electronic billboard proposed for Latrobe Tce is more suited to Las Vegas than the character-protected retail strip. Picture: iStock

PADDINGTON residents, the former state tourism minister and a Greens candidate have joined forces to block a huge billboard on Latrobe Tce, one of Brisbane’s most beautiful retail strips.

They say the community was not consulted about the electronic billboard, which some have likened to something out of Las Vegas.

Incredibly, the office of local Councillor Peter Matic — which is less than 200m away — told one resident that they knew nothing about it and it would take 20 days to find out.

But Council said State Government rules meant public consultation was not required.

The site is rented to a Merlos coffee, although it is believed they were not consulted.

The owners of the land hosted corflutes (election signs) for Cr Matic at the March Council election.

A change.org petition started by resident Rowan Edmondson late last week already has attracted nearly 400 signatures.

Work resumed on the site on Monday afternoon, further alarming locals who called for an immediate stop on work.

Another resident, Ken Roney, a former creative director at an advertising agency, said he estimated the billboard would be about 14m wide and 4-5m high.

A crane at the site on Monday afternoon.

“Surely there must be plans you have to put in first? But when I asked Council no one seemed to know anything about it,’’ Mr Roney said.

“The first I noticed it was Monday (last week) when I saw trucks putting up massive steel beams.’’

Ms Jones, the State Development Minister and local MP, said: “Paddington is such a great character suburb. Residents have inundated my office with phone calls about this.

“They’re concerned the sign is dangerous and out of character with the suburb.

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“I’m calling on the local councillor (Peter Matic) to listen to local residents. Get rid of it.’’

Council has been contacted for comment.

Former Lord Mayor Jim Soorley implemented a Development Control Plan for the strip, from Suncorp Stadium to MacGregor Tce, running along Latrobe and Given Terraces, to protect its distinctive Queenslander shopfronts.

Councillor Peter Matic at the Paddington site, with the billboard. Residents want it removed.

A Council spokeswoman said the billboard application was approved under the Advertisements Local Law on May 2.

“During the assessment phase Council asked the applicant to reduce the sign size, which they did by 8.8sqm,’’ she said.

“As per the State Government’s Planning Act 2016 applications of this type do not require public consultation.’’

Cr Matic said he was “urgently looking into how this got approved’’ and was meeting a resident about it.

“The applicant approached me in 2019 and discussed the installation of a billboard and I made it very clear it was a bad fit for the area and that I suspected the community would oppose it,’’ Cr Matic said.

“Despite this advice, I understand the applicant lodged an application anyway and Council subsequently approved it.

“I became aware of the approved application when installation of the billboard began on Thursday.

“I understand these decisions are made independently by Council officers, however I am disappointed by this outcome.’’

Greens candidate for the local state seat of Cooper, Katinka Winston-Allom, said residents were fed up with Council and the State Government putting them and their corporate donors’ interests before the local community.

“Locals deserve to have our say about how our neighbourhood develops,’’ Ms Winston-Allom said.

“A massive new billboard is not an urgent proposal, so Council has no excuse to forgo crucial community consultation.

“Anyone who knows this area knows how dangerous this proposal is.

“This particular corner on Latrobe Terrace is already precarious for pedestrians.

“Having a large, electronic billboard facing an oncoming stream of traffic poses a serious distraction to drivers, so it’s a pretty dangerous suggestion for the local precinct.’’

Ms Winston-Allom feared the billboard would also advantage bigger, more resilient businesses able to afford to advertise on the billboard, at a time when small, local Paddington traders were doing it tough.

“Time and again, major party politicians are ignoring the needs of our communities and selling off our neighbourhoods to the highest bidders,’’ she said.

“If Council lets this go ahead, they must place conditions on the approval that force the billboard owner to pay for crucial safety upgrades and ensure local businesses are prioritised.

“This dodgy, rushed proposal needs to be scrapped, and the Council should take a good hard look at its priorities.’’