Eight-metre high LED billboard to be erected over Tasman Highway despite safety concerns

Plans to erect an LED billboard over the Tasman Highway are moving ahead — despite road safety concerns and one councillor saying we risk turning into Vegas or the Gold Coast.

Clarence City Council has approved the development of an 8.5 metre high LED billboard at Montagu Bay. Picture: Clarence City Council/supplied

Plans to erect an LED billboard over the Tasman Highway are moving ahead, after the Clarence City Council approved the development despite road safety concerns.

The council voted 6-4 in favour of the development at their monthly meeting on Monday night, which will see an 8.5 metre-high digital billboard erected on the edge of the Clarence Sports Centre carpark at Montagu Bay.

Council officers had initially recommended the council reject the proposal after the Department of State Growth flagged concerns about its location – a section of the Tasman Highway known to be a black spot, which in the last five years has been the site of 22 crashes.

“This section is already a demanding driving environment for motorists,” the department told council.

“The demanding driving environment is reflected in its elevated crash rate.”

Councillor Tony Mulder disputed the location met the criteria to be categorised a black spot, deeming the development consistent with the conditions of the Tasmanian Planning Scheme.

“This side of the road has had seven rear end low-speed collision with only one that has resulted in first aid. But first aid doesn’t qualify as a casualty event,” he said.

“In other words, there have been in recent history, no serious or casualty crashes in this particular point and as such, the sign is more than appropriate for it.”

The sign will broadcast 45-second static advertisements between sunrise and 11pm as subject to brightness controls, with a letter from the owners of the Clarence Sports Centre owners provided by the applicant – Bishopp Outdoor Advertising – saying it would provide a valuable stream of funding for the facility.

Councillor Beth Warren said financial benefit was “not something covered by the planning scheme”, adding the billboard’s size compromised “safety and visual amenity”.

“It’s not enough for me to say that this probably won’t cause more crashes,” she said.

It follows the approval of a similar digital billboard at Eastlands Shopping Centre last June.

“Does (this) mean we have to approve every other application along this strip so that we turn into the Gold Coast or Las Vegas, where we have sign after sign trying to get your attention?” Cr Warren said.

Originally published as Eight-metre high LED billboard to be erected over Tasman Highway despite safety concerns