Residents' Group Calls Advertising Towers 'Shocking'

TfL asked to meet their commitment to undertake landscaping in the vicinity

The West Chiswick and Gunnersbury Society (WCGS) has responded with dismay to the installation by Transport for London (TfL) of advertising towers near Chiswick Roundabout. They have endorsed Theo Dennison's, Chair of Hounslow Council’s Planning Committee, view of the towers as 'shocking'.

The WCGS objected to the planning application for these giant advertising screens in November 2011 and spoke in support of the Council’s refusal at the appeal hearing held by the Planning Inspectorate in the summer of 2012. They emphasised that the roundabout with its tree cover was highly valued by residents as a welcome “natural” counterpoint to the overhead intrusion of the flyover.

In addition to the advertising towers, TfL's plans included hard and soft landscaping as 'public realm improvements' to the roundabout. WCGS provided comments on these in an attempt to protect the green and natural feel of the roundabout, as much as possible. As a result some amelioration, for example, a reduction in the amount of additional lighting and some new planting was agreed. At the Society’s recent AGM members were angry that, while the adverts were now up and running, there was no sign of any of these improvements that they had hoped would go some way towards mitigating the now very evident negative impact of these screens and their support towers.

A spokesperson for WCGS said, 'the development might be seen as "an interesting addition" by those to whom it is a brief encounter on a motor journey. It is clear, however, to those of us “groundlings” who would have to live with it constantly in our faces, that it would be seen as a wholly unnecessary further degradation of our environment. If Transport for London wishes to improve the roundabout, some planting of spring bulbs and native meadow species of flowering plants would be most welcome.'

We contacted TfL for comment on the matter and have yet to receive a reply.

March 12, 2013