Wayfinding plinth sign at Footpath at Entrance to Queens Walk, Barnstaple
Summary of planning committee decision
Decided by North Devon Planning Committee on 3 Sept 2025.
The site
The sign would stand beside the entrance to Queen’s Walk, against a wall near a bin on the Queen Street Car Park side.
“Site Description The site is next to the entrance to Queen's Walk on the Queen Street Car Park side (to the south). Initially it was proposed to be sited at the Bear Street end. Queen's Walk is a narrow, enclosed walkway and commercial space. The sign is proposed to be sited against the wall adjacent to a bin.”
Officer report
Site history and setting
The site is in Barnstaple town centre and conservation area, with listed buildings nearby and an earlier certificate application recorded for flats.
“Reference Number Proposal Decision Decision Date 21455 APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF LAWFULNESS FOR AN EXISTING USE IN RESPECT OF USE OF FIRST AND SECOND FLOOR OF PROPERTY AS 12 NO FLATS at BARUM ARCADE, BEAR STREET, BARNSTAPLE, EX32 7DA CERT. OF LAWFULNESS ISSUED 20 March 1996”
“Constraint Name Distance (Metres) Listed Building Grade: Not Listed Conservation Area: BARNSTAPLE, TOWN CENTRE Advert Control Area: Barnstaple Within constraint Burrington Radar Safeguard Area consultation required for: All buildings, structures, erections & works exceeding 45 metres in height Within constraint Chivenor Safeguard Zone Consultation Structure or works exceeding 91.4m Within constraint Conservation Area: Barnstaple-Town Centre (Adopted 20/04/2010) Within…”
Officer report
Why officers supported it
Officers considered the 2.2-metre sign would provide useful information, fit a uniform project, preserve amenity and avoid conservation and highway harm.
“The sign would be visible to the public, without being of a scale and nature that would be of harmful to amenity due to its visual impact. It is considered that the sign (along with the others associated with the wider project) would be a benefit to amenity due to the information the sign would provide and given the comprehensive uniformity of the overall project/signage that will be delivered.”
“As such, it is considered that the proposed plinth sign is acceptable in terms of its impact on amenity.”
Officer report
What the committee discussed
The planning officer corrected the location plan, explaining that the sign location was south of Queen’s Walk rather than north.
“The Committee considered a report by the Planning Officer (KW) (circulated previously) regarding planning application 80321.”
“The Planning Officer (KW) advised the Committee that the location plan, on page 217 of the report, was incorrect and that the location of sign was south of Queen’s Walk and not north.”
Minutes
The vote and decision
The committee unanimously approved the application as recommended by the planning officer.
“RESOLVED (unanimous) that the application be APPROVED as recommended by the Planning Officer (KW).”
Minutes
Conditions of approval
Approval requires the advertisement and structure to be maintained safely and visually, displayed with the approved plans, and not obstruct highways or signs.
“Any advertisement displayed, and any site used for the display of advertisements, shall be maintained in a condition that does not impair the visual amenity of the site.”
“The advertisement[s] hereby approved shall be displayed in accordance with the plans submitted with the application:-”
Officer report
Sources
- North Devon Planning Committee minutes, 3 September 2025
- Agenda and papers (council website)
Source: Plota analysis of North Devon's committee minutes and officer report. Quotations are the council's own words; headings and summaries are Plota's.
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See the API →At the meeting
- Committee
- North Devon Planning Committee
- Council
- North Devon
- Date
- Wednesday 3 September 2025
- Recommendation
- Officers recommended approval
- Committee decided
- Approved
- Vote
- Unanimous
- Minutes
- The council's minutes
- Meeting
- Agenda and papers (council website)
- Application
- The application (council website)
- All decisions
- North Devon committee decisions →
This committee's year
15 decisions in the 12 months to this meeting, 1 against officer advice.
Source: Plota analysis of the committee's minutes.