Plans to ‘hide’ the derelict mail sorting office in Northampton behind large advertising hoardings have split officials.
Royal Mail applied to Northampton Borough Council for permission to screen the former sorting office in Barrack Road behind three large advertising boards.
They said the move was needed to cover the fire-damaged building while they tried to find a new use for it.
But officials from Northampton Borough Council disagreed, arguing the adverts would make the site look worse.
A report written by Becky Gittins, from the council’s planning department, said: “Despite its current condition, the sorting office remains a local landmark and, while it is not universally appreciated, its uncompromising design is undoubtedly a feature of the local landscape.
“It is not considered that there is an over-riding need to screen the building, in-spite of its current condition.”
The former sorting office has stood empty since it was damaged by fire in 2003.
Tesco had planned to convert the building into a supermarket, but withdrew from the scheme in July last year.
Royal Mail now hopes to find another supermarket company to take over the building, but to date, none have come forward.
At the end of last year, Royal Mail applied for planning permission to screen the site with advertising boards for a maximum of two years, while the future of the building was decided.
In total, the adverts would have stretched almost 100ft across the front of the building.
Because of the adverts’ size, the council blocked the plans in January this year.
Royal Mail has since appealed to the national planning inspector over the council’s decision.
The planning inspector will now review the case and decide whether or not Guildhall officials were correct to turn down planning permission for the adverts.
