Fast food chain Supermac’s has been refused permission to retain a large video wall advertising screen on the front of its Eyre Square premises.

Galway City Council planners said that Eyre Square is a “significant historic space” and the signage would contravene City Development Plan guidelines on shop signage and that it would be “injurious to the visual amenity of the area”.

Atlantic Enterprises Ltd applied to the Council for retention permission for “dynamic signage” measuring 3.8 metres by 2.15m on the first floor front façade of the premises at Eyre Square.

In a submission on the plan, An Taisce Galway’s Planning Committee said: “City Council planners must determine if this particular development is suitable for inclusion on a building façade within the city’s most important Eyre Square ACA [Architectural Conservation Area]?

“An Taisce Association members are dubious, and in the absence of any strong reasons for allowing this signage to stay, would be opposed to its retention,” the environmental and heritage watchdog group said.

Refusing Supermac’s permission to retain the video wall, the City Council ruled: “The site is located within the Eyre Square ACA. Having regard to the importance of this designation, it is considered that the sign by reason of location, scale, design and extent would be contrary to the City Development Plan, the adopted Shopfront and Signage Design guidelines and the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”

The decision added that the Development Plan stated that signage shall not, in general, be permitted on upper floors, therefore this one would contravene policy and “be injurious to the visual amenity of the area”.