Town-centre wayfinding signs at Stowmarket Town Centre, Stowmarket

“Proposed Development 1.1. This application, submitted on behalf of the District Council seeks express advertisement consent to display a number of signs within Stowmarket Town Centre as follows: - 4no. information hub signs - 12no. map signs - 32no. directional signs - 7no. Gipping valley river path signs and waymarkers 1.2.”

“Previous Committee/ Resolution: None Previous Member Site Visit: None Call in request from Council Member: None Reason for reference to Committee: The Applicant is the District Councils.”

“SUMMARY OF POLICIES Development Plan The following policies are considered the most relevant and important to the determination of this proposal. The policies are all contained within the adopted development plan, which for the purposes of determining this application is comprised the Babergh and Mid Suffolk Joint Local Plan (JLP) (2023) and the saved policies of the Stowmarket Area Action Plan (2013).”

“County Council Responses SCC – Highway Authority has commented as follows: ‘We do not object to this proposal and note the walking, wheeling and cycling benefits of the proposed scheme. The applicant will need to obtain the relevant licenses/agreements to install the proposed signs as detailed below. Subsequent to obtaining planning permission, a license is required to place signs in or over the public highway from the Suffolk Highways Licensing and Enforcement Team.”

“However, any changes to the signage may result in reconsideration of this point, so further advice should then be sought. Requested Amendments - Suitable repositioning of PM.09 and painting of the post of this sign.”

“The Case Officer introduced the application to the Committee outlining the proposal before Members including: the reason for the application being referred to the Committee, the site location, the constraints of the site, the range of proposed signage, the design and materials to be used, the heritage comments received regarding the location of the sign within the churchyard, the late representation received from Stowmarket Town Council, and the recommendation of…”

“Councillor Penny proposed that the application be approved as detailed in the Officer recommendation and with the amended locations as requested by Stowmarket Town Council.”

“The Case Officer responded to questions from Members on issues including: the colour of the posts, the colour scheme for the signs, and whether any of the proposed locations would mean the position of the sign was within a footway.”

“That authority be delegated to the Chief Planning Officer to amend the location of the signs outside Asda and The Mill, to have regards to the pathway, and subject to this…”

“1) That the Chief Planning Officer be authorised to GRANT advertisement consent subject to conditions as summarised below and those as may be deemed necessary by the Chief Planning Officer:”