SW council stalls plan for LED sign

A plan to build an illuminated advertising screen at a busy intersection in Bunbury has been deferred to allow the council to review its policy on signs.

Bunbury City Council on Tuesday night voted to delay its decision on a plan to replace a 12.7m by 3.2m billboard with an LED screen of the same size on the corner of King and Sandridge roads.

The issue will now be referred to the policy review committee and it is expected it will meet and respond by the September 29 council meeting.

The proposal for the LED screen is in breach of the council's policy that states advertising signs cannot be greater than 20sq m.

But the majority of councillors agreed with Cr Jones' motion to refer the plan to the policy review committee.

Her reasons for the deferral include reference to "perceived inconsistencies between this proposal and at least one other which could be regarded as similar".

This came after a speech to the council from Pinnacle Planning director Ben Carter, representing media company Matzin Capital, who questioned why council staff had used its power to approve a LED sign at the Bunbury Farmers Market but wanted to oppose its application.

He claimed the farmers market sign on Forrest Highway was closer to traffic lights than Main Road's guidelines but was still approved.

Mr Carter also said council staff had provided "a lack of concrete evidence" to back its claim that his client's proposed sign would make the intersection unsafe.

The owner of the land, Donald Maasdorp, pleaded with the council to agree to the proposal because of the demand for advertising in Bunbury.

During debate on the sign, Crs Betty McCleary and Murray Cook both raised safety concerns.

"It fails the common-sense test and that's enough for me," Cr Cook said.

Cr McCleary said the sign "would be a beauty" but it was located on the wrong site.

In response, Cr James Hayward said it was contradictory to accept a billboard but not a LED sign.

He said many cities around the world used the same technology for advertising.