Council Signage Policy a mess claims Noonan
The once strict signage policy of Kilkenny Borough Council is in disarray and is evident throughout the City claims Kilkenny Green Party Councillor Malcolm Noonan. Raising the issue at a recent meeting of Kilkenny Borough Council, Cllr Noonan criticised the policy which in his view was once the strictest and most vigorously enforced in the country.
‘Corriboard plastic signs, tarpaulin banners draped across listed buildings, temporary signs pointing to fast food outlets and hideous plastic signage covering historic shop fronts now seems to be the order of the day’ claimed the Green Party Councillor in a stinging attack on the drop in standards. He called on Kilkenny Borough Council to use it’s powers within the city and environs development plan to ensure that all premises were in compliance with signage and shopfront policy and raise standards in the historic streetscapes that would enhance the city centre’s appearance.
‘The city centre faces significant challenges over the next few years with the opening of Mc Donagh Junction and the development of the old Kilkenny Mart site, as a Borough Council we have to raise the bar with the public realm but there is an onus on shop and business owners on the main streets to improve the overall appearance of their premises. Some businesses have already taken a lead with some beautifully hand crafted and hand painted traditional shop fronts’ said Cllr Noonan. ‘but I am calling on businesses to look at their buildings in their entirety, particularly over the shop facades, look at existing colour schemes on their street and to replace plastic signage with traditional lettering’
Cllr Noonan cited the town of Listowel in County Kerry where an overt policy on traditional signage sparked competition among businesses and has had a remarkable effect on the overall appearance of the town and revitalised a traditional art form that could only survive if there is a demand for it.
‘The existing signage policy is robust enough to tackle inappropriate signage and I welcome moves by Dublin City Council to adopt a get tough stance on this issue, we have a unique product here in Kilkenny and the basis for significant tidy town’s improvements. Many of our shop fronts were commented upon favourably by the Academy of Urbanism when they visited Kilkenny recently but there were some that I would rather they hadn’t seen, we have to improve on the current standards’ concluded Cllr Noonan
