PLANS for a digital advertising board at a busy Shipley junction could prejudice a multi million pound road scheme, planning officers have claimed.

Bradford Council has refused an application to replace a number of billboards on Bradford Road, at the junction with Otley Road, with an illuminated digital sign.

The junction is a key part of the £48million Bradford to Shipley Corridor Improvement Plan, which will see Bradford Road/Manningham Lane become a more public transport and cycling focused route between the two areas, with Canal Road/Shipley Airedale Road widened to become the main route between the areas for cars and HGVs.

The junction is expected to undergo major changes as part of the scheme.

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The existing four signs are located on a wall at Shipley Bowling Club, next to Northcliffe Park. The plans, submitted by Air Outdoor Media Limited, would see these four traditional billboards replaced by a single three metre by six metre digital sign, which will alternate between different advertisements.

But Bradford Council planning officers refused the plans late last week.

Planning officers said: "Overall the proposed reduction in the amount of advertising displayed would be improvement to amenity.

"It is acknowledged that the single display would reduce the amount of incongruous advertising material at this location revealing more of the park wall."

But they added: "The replacement sign would be positioned in close proximity to a major traffic junction on the busy Bradford Road, the A650.

"This junction is the subject of an on-going regional road improvement scheme and the proposed display could prejudice the delivery of this project.

"Furthermore, illuminated signing at this location with changing images could distract drivers whilst negotiating operation of this busy junction (in both its existing and proposed layouts) which would be detrimental to highway safety."