A law firm in Shipley has criticised Bradford Council for “depriving them the right to exist” by refusing a planning application for illuminated signs on their Frizinghall office.

Hasnain Abbas, of Haider Legal at 270a Bradford Road, has lodged an appeal against the Council decision, made in January.

It was a retrospective application. The company had already installed the signs at a cost of £3,500.

The Council’s statement said: “The signs create incongruous clutter and are out of keeping with the character of the area. They are prominent, of excessive size and poorly related to the features of the building.”

In his appeal letter Mr Abbas says: “It begs the question how a responsible council could make an irresponsible, irrational and unjustifiable decision to deprive a business enterprise of its right to exist in a commercial environment.”