Council objects to Nunawading electronic billboard

WHAT are believed to be the first electronic billboards in Whitehorse will be erected above a major intersection in a move labelled “visual pollution” by angry councillors.

The Nunawading intersection where the electronic billboards will go up.

WHAT are believed to be the first electronic billboards in Whitehorse will be erected above a major intersection in a move labelled “visual pollution” by angry councillors.

A permit to “light-up” the 12m by 3m billboard at 346 Whitehorse Rd was approved by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Councillors took to Facebook to slam the decision.

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Cr Prue Cutts said she was concerned the tribunal’s decision would set “an unfortunate precedent”.

“These are ugly and dangerous amenity detractors and we just don’t want them in our community,” she posted.

Ms Cutts said the only way to switch the light off on electronic billboards was for the community to object to future planning applications.

The Nunawading intersection where the electronic billboards will go up.

“If another proposal comes up like this, let’s get the community heavily involved from the outset,” she said.

Cr Ben Stennett said the approval of the eyesore was “appalling”.

Ratepayer Aj Lawson agreed with the councillors, saying he was livid with the decision.

“This is going to be an absolutely unnecessary eyesore at an already ugly intersection,” he said.

Councillors had unanimously voted against the billboard’s proposed change in December, but the tribunal found the council’s arguments about the area’s amenity, visual appearance, planning objectives and potential driver distraction “generally (were) not persuasive”.

The council had received five objections to the application.

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The initial application to build the floodlit Bob Jane T-Marts billboard in 2012 was also rejected by the council, which said it would have a negative impact on the surrounding area, but its decision was overturned at the tribunal.

The new sign will be subjected to VicRoads conditions that stipulate it cannot display video, flashing or moving contents and each image must last for at least 30 seconds.

It will also be subject to brightness requirements.